News

• Congressman Will Hurd announced US$500,000 in additional grant funding for the project

Tornillo, Texas – Congressman Will Hurd, U.S. Representative of the 23rd District of Texas, and Gerónimo Gutiérrez, Managing Director of the North American Development Bank (NADB), presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of an arsenic treatment facility (ATF) with the capacity to treat 600 gallons per minute (gpm), which will improve the quality of drinking water for the residents of Tornillo, a community located in El Paso County, Texas.

The ATF is part of the US$3.75-million Arsenic Treatment and Wastewater Collection approved in 2014 by the Board of Directors of NADB and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) to receive a US$3.25 million grant provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) administered by NADB.

During the ceremony, Congressman Hurd announced additional grant funding for close to US$500,000 from NADB to cover higher-than-expected costs for construction of the plant. This additional funding will ensure that the project is completed at a total cost of $3.75 million.

El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez, Texas Representative Mary Gonzalez, and John Perkins, Area Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, along with other state and local officials, were also present to witness the ceremony.

“This is an example of what can be accomplished when all levels of government work together,” said Hurd. “The people of Tornillo deserve a safe and reliable water source and I am very proud to be a part of this effort. This is a huge win for the local community.”

“We congratulate El Paso County Tornillo Water Improvement District for its efforts and perseverance in moving this project forward, as it will greatly improve water quality and provide safe and reliable service to local residents,” stated Mr. Gutiérrez. “NADB recognizes the pressing needs of these small communities and will continue working with all three levels of government to support the construction of priority infrastructure.”

In addition to the ATF, which will reduce naturally-occurring arsenic concentrations to permitted levels, 19 new wastewater connections will be incorporated into the ATF waste line, providing first-time service to 19 households and eliminating approximately 5,600 gallons per day of inadequately treated and untreated wastewater.

USDA-RD is also planning to provide financing for other water system improvements, bringing the total investment from these two projects to over US$6.75 million, benefiting more than 1,560 residents.