News

• Project financed with US$6.89 million grant from NADB

Holtville, California – The City of Holtville, California, celebrated the completion of work to rehabilitate and upgrade the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which will significantly improve the quality of the treated wastewater discharged to the Pear Drain, Alamo River and Salton Sea, considered impaired water bodies.

The US$14.4 million rehabilitation Project was financed with a US$6.89 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF), which is administered by the North American Development Bank (NADB), as well as a by a grant and loan from the California Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).

The City of Holtville also received a US$349,000 grant through the Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP), which is funded by EPA and administered by the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), to finance the development of final designs for the project.

NADB Deputy Managing Alex Hinojosa and Holtville Mayor Jim Predmore, along with EPA and CWSRF representatives and other local officials, presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark completion of the rehabilitated plant, which will allow for the proper treatment of all current and future wastewater flows from more than 1,990 households in and around the city.

The project, approved for financing in 2014 by BECC and NADB, consisted of rehabilitating and upgrading the wastewater treatment process by installing a BIOLAC® Wave Oxidation System, that included an activated sludge system to improve treatment effectiveness. In addition, the effluent pump stations, UV disinfection system and storm water tanks were rehabilitated, and the operations building was replaced to increase efficiency.

“This is the third wastewater project that we have financed in Holtville to help protect the environment and in particular the aquatic ecosystems found in both surface and groundwater,” stated Mr. Hinojosa “We are pleased to have worked with EPA, the State of California and local officials so that this community can continue treating its wastewater properly.”

In the water and wastewater sector, as of December 31, 2016, NADB has provided more than $927 million dollars in loans and grants for 135 projects certified by BECC along the U.S.-Mexico border. In California specifically, NADB has provided $47.4 million in loans and grants for 12 projects benefiting more than 1.26 million residents in six border communities.