San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 12, 2003 -- Governor Rick Perry and other federal, state and local officials joined the board members of the Eagle Pass Water Works System (EPWWS), at a groundbreaking ceremony recently for a $105 million water and wastewater treatment system that will benefit residents of the city of Eagle Pass and its surrounding colonias, customers of the El Indio Water Supply Corporation, and residents of the Kickapoo Nation in Maverick County.
Other officials in attendance at the ceremony were Assistant Secretary of State Geoffrey Connor, Mayor Joaquin L. Rodriguez and EPWWS Board Chairman Enrique Montalvo.
The Water and Wastewater Regional System Improvements Project includes the construction of a 19-million-gallon-per-day (MGD) water treatment plant, as well as a series of distribution lines and storage tanks that will meet demand through 2020. Improvements in the existing wastewater facilities will extend wastewater collection and treatment services to part of the new areas incorporated into the regional system, while the rest of these areas will be served by a new 2 MGD treatment plant.
"NADBank was instrumental in bringing the Project to fruition by not only providing monies for construction but for transition assistance, which will lessen the burden on the citizens due to the rate increase," stated Mayor Rodriguez.
The city is receiving $17.99 million in grant assistance through the NADB's EPA-funded Border Environment Investment Fund (BEIF) in support of the project. In addition to the BEIF funding, the city is receiving a grant and loan from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).
The start of construction for this project signifies another important milestone for NADB project development. The Bank's current loan and grant portfolio exceeds $606 million with commitments for 61 projects that will enhance the quality of life for more than 6 million residents of the U.S.-Mexico border region.
"This project represents a tremendous step forward for Eagle Pass and surrounding communities, and it represents a significant milestone for the NADB and the BECC," said Raúl Rodríguez, NADB Managing Director. "From the Bank's perspective, this project is one of our largest single investments to date. The Bank is providing almost $18 million in grant funds for this project, through its Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF)."
Established in 1997, the BEIF is a grant program administered by the NADB to fund and facilitate environmental infrastructure projects throughout the U.S.-Mexico border region. To date, the Bank has approved $470.4 million in BEIF funding for 50 water and wastewater projects that will help improve the quality of life for many residents of the region.
For more information on the NADB, visit www.nadb.org.
The North American Development Bank, created under the auspices of NAFTA, is a financial institution established and capitalized in equal parts by the United States and Mexico for the purpose of financing environmental infrastructure projects along their common border. As a pioneer institution in its field, the Bank is working to develop integrated, sustainable and fiscally responsible projects with broad community support in a framework of close cooperation and coordination between Mexico and the United States.
