Tag Archives: El Paso water

For nearly 30 years, El Pasoans have been doing their part to conserve the most precious resource in the Chihuahuan Desert, now El Paso Water expands the successful water conservation program.

As part of the new Water Smarter campaign, El Paso Water is encouraging customers to water smarter as warmer temperatures arrive. The campaign aims to empower customers with tips to save water around their homes while also saving money on their monthly water bills.

“Because of our successful campaign and educational programs, El Pasoans have embraced conservation,” said Anai Padilla, Water Conservation Manager. “However, it is always a good idea to remind our customers that we live in a desert and water is our most valuable resource.”

As temperatures climb, El Pasoans start preparing their gardens for the spring, and warmer temperatures increase the demand for water.

April marks the beginning of the time-of-day watering schedule, which allows residents to water their landscapes up to three times a week before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Officials say that following this schedule reduces water loss from evaporation.

Even-numbered addresses may water Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. Odd-numbered addresses may water Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. No residential watering is allowed Mondays.

In addition to the watering guidelines, planting and maintaining water-friendly plants is key.

“Take a look around El Paso, and it’s evident that water conservation is a way of life,” EP Water officials shared. “Shady, colorful desert plants dot landscapes across the city, where large, water-wasting lawns are no longer the standard.”

Small changes have a huge impact when transforming your garden into a water-efficient desert landscape. Local nurseries, as opposed to big chain stores, specialize in native plants, Padilla said.

Padilla suggested the following tips:

• Select plants adapted to El Paso’s climate and know your soil type.
• Water shrubs using drip irrigation, where possible.
• Use mulches to eliminate water loss through evaporation.

In addition to conservation, re-use of household water is another way to save, Padilla offered a few simple tips.

“Use cooled water after cooking pasta or leftover ice cubes to water your plants,” she said. “Also, replace plumbing fixtures with those that are stamped with the WaterSense logo, similar to ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency.”

As part of the campaign, EPWater invites customers to join the movement and show us how they are watering smarter.

Please share your photos with us, demonstrating how you are doing your part to conserve water. Use the hashtag #WaterSmarterEP so we can follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Participants may be eligible to receive promotional materials.

For more information on how to water smarter both indoors and outdoors, visit EP Water’s conservation page.

To learn more about desert-friendly plants, visit www.elpasodesertblooms.org, EPWater’s interactive site that offers many ideas to create a beautiful, water-efficient garden in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Wednesday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbot announced $14.1 million in grants to Texas military communities, with El Paso and El Paso Water landing a portion of the grant money.

El Paso Water officials say they are the beneficiary of $2.05 million for the expansion of El Paso Water’s Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant.

When he made the announcement, Governor Abbott stated that “now more than ever  this support is critical as military installations in Texas add $101 billion to the state’s economy and support, directly and indirectly, more than 224,000 jobs in communities across this great state.”

“El Paso Water and the Fort Bliss Public Works Directorate have collaborated to develop a set of joint priorities to improve water and mission resiliency,” said John Balliew, EPWater President and CEO. “The KBH Plant expansion is the number one priority identified that will benefit both Fort Bliss and the City of El Paso. We thank Fort Bliss and the City of El Paso for collaborating with us on this grant application.”

Utility officials released the following statement:

El Paso Water is pleased with the Governor’s announcement today that El Paso Water has been awarded $2.05 million toward expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination (KBH) Plant.

Along with the $2.05 awarded from the Bureau of Reclamation, the grant will double the utility’s investment of $4.1 million to help with the Blend Well Collector Pipeline Project, which is the first step in the two-part expansion of KBH.

The $8.2 million project will enable construction of a pipeline to deliver source water that is approximately 7 miles away into the KBH plant. The second phase of the expansion will be the addition of a fifth reverse osmosis skid.

When both parts of the expansion are complete, KBH will have a production capacity of 33.5 million gallons (MGD) per day. Its current capacity is 27.5 MGD.

The grant award was announced Wednesday by Governor Greg Abbott. El Paso is one of six Texas military communities selected to receive Defense Economic Adjustment Assistant Grant  (DEAAG) from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission (TMPC).

On Wednesday morning, officials with Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation non-profit, announced the selection of the 2020 Conservation Wranglers – including the new Paso del Norte Trail in El Paso.

During the last few weeks, El Paso Water has discovered multiple instances of meter tampering and illegal water connections.

Using water without an active water service is against the law and may be grounds for disconnection and penalty.

“EPWater would like to emphasize that in accordance with the city emergency order issued on March 13, 2020 and to protect the health and safety of the community, it has suspended disconnections due to non-payment,” water company officials shared via a news release.

“Unlawful activity, however, continues to be grounds for disconnection,” officials added.

Officials urge customers with inactive accounts, or those that have been shutoff prior to this order, to contact Customer Service at 915-594-5500 or (customer.service@epwater.org)to make arrangements to have service restored; however, such arrangements may require a good faith deposit.

All customers will continue to be responsible for the full bill amount accrued.

“We will work with customers on payment plans or other arrangements,” officials said.  “EPWater is committed to ensuring customers have access to clean, reliable water during this unprecedented time.”

According to El Paso Water, some of hardest working members of their treatment facilities are in danger, due to the excessive flushing of sanitary wipes and chemicals.

“There are some very hard workers at El Paso Water wastewater plants. They work without pay and without breaks. And they work their entire lives; no retirement for them,” EP Water officials share. “They are the beneficial bacteria that live in the live ecosystem of the aerator basins, helping to break down the waste in wastewater.”

The human employees of El Paso Water monitor the well-being of these microscopic creatures daily to ensure they remain active and healthy because they play an important role in the wastewater treatment process.

The bacteria consume viruses and pathogens, helping to clean wastewater to a level that is safe for release into the Rio Grande or to reclaim and use again at power plants, golf courses, parks or construction sites.

However, at least one facility in Colorado has experienced a very sudden loss of beneficial bacteria, possibly as a result of chemical toxicity in the wastewater that is attributable to increased use of sanitation wipes and chemicals.

With the concerns of Coronavirus (COVID-19), there has been a surge in use of these products to disinfect homes and businesses.

While this is a prudent thing to do to maintain a healthy and safe home and business, improper disposal by flushing those wipes and chemicals is creating concern at wastewater facilities nationwide.

“At this point, we are monitoring our wastewater treatment plants for any adverse effects to the biological process,” said Chief Technical Officer Gilbert Trejo. “This shows how our staff is thinking of everything during these difficult times to keep producing clean water. We do urge the public to please not send any kind of wipe, chemical or medicines down the drains.”

Paul Rivas, Chief Operations Officer for Production and Treatment, couldn’t agree more.

“That’s why we partner with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency Drug Take Back Day and we promote using the Citizen Collection Stations,” Rivas said. “I can’t stress it enough; we need to keep trash, medicines, bleach wipes, hand sanitizers and other chemical cleaners out of the system to protect the system and ultimately, the environment.”

To find out the locations and hours of the Citizen Collection Stations, click here or call 3-1-1.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation within the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced that El Paso County Water Improvement District 1 will receive a $1 million grant for fiscal year 2020 as part of DOI’s WaterSMART program.

The program focuses on improving water conservation and helping water-resource managers identifying strategies to ensure sufficient supplies of clean water.

The grant funding will allow El Paso County Water Improvement District 1 to install a concrete lining in a section of the Ysla Latera Canal to conserve water that is currently lost to seepage.

It will also facilitate the expansion of an undersized bridge located next to Salvador Sanchez Middle School in Socorro, resulting in a safer walkway for students and other pedestrians.

For his part, U.S. Representative Will Hurd penned a letter of support to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation advocating the impact the grant would have in managing water sources to meet the significant growing water demands on the El Paso region.

“Because of its arid climate, the El Paso region only receives an average rainfall of about 8 inches each year presenting challenges for local leaders when it comes to water management,” said Hurd who represents a portion of El Paso County including Soccoro.

“I’m proud of the Water Improvement District and their continued efforts to better the economic prosperity of the City of Socorro and provide sufficient services to their residents. It’s essential that we ensure future generations will have ample clean water sources for drinking, economic activities, recreation and an overall healthy ecosystem.”

With six female engineers at the helm of EP Water, diversity in leadership for women in the water sector can be described as a rising tide at the utility.

Irazema Rojas, Capital Improvement Program Manager, and Aide Fuentes, Wastewater Treatment Manager, are happy to welcome new engineers entering the fold at EPWater.  Rojas and Fuentes are only two of the six female engineers in leadership roles at the utility.

• Water Production Manager Veronica Galindo
• Engineering Division Manager Amy Castner for Water/Wastewater Engineering
• Engineering Division Manager Adriana Castillo for Planning and Development
• Engineering Division Manager Gisela Dagnino for Stormwater Engineering

All play an important role in the design and maintenance of EPWater’s water and wastewater systems and policy-making.

At EPWater, both Fuentes and Rojas found that stepping outside their initial job descriptions altered their career paths significantly.

Fuentes has been promoted in management twice at EPWater, first as Water Production Manager to her current role as Wastewater Treatment Manager. In her career, every day has been different, with not a dull moment in sight.

“It’s been fun,” Fuentes said. “I have seen construction, design, how we operate wells on the production side, how water distribution works and now I am getting to see the wastewater side.”

“I have had to be flexible – big time – and open to learning,” said Rojas, who rose from early ranks as an engineering co-op to becoming the highest ranked female engineer at EPWater. Rojas has held varied positions in management at EPWater, including Reclaimed Water Manager, Environmental Compliance Manager and her current position as Capital Improvement Manager.

Fuentes and Rojas are grateful for many opportunities and have relished each role at EPWater, including their current ones. They both concede they still have a lot to learn.

“As Wastewater Treatment Manager, I get to work with wastewater plants that are alive,” said Fuentes, adding she has enjoyed working with a variety of employees – from trades helper to engineers. “Seeing superintendents tweak their plants when troubleshooting and then seeing how the plant reacts in five to seven days has been interesting.”

“I have been part of changes in management, and I am very excited about the emphasis senior leaders are putting on safety; on knowledge, skills and abilities; as well as supporting employees to further their careers through education,” said Rojas, who has discovered through her many leadership roles that she is a numbers and people person. “It’s something that makes me proud to be part of this current management team.”

Both have similar advice for female engineers looking to make their mark at EPWater.

“Have fun,” Fuentes said. “If you are flexible and enjoy what you do, you will advance.”

“Life is full of surprises, and you never know what’s in store,” Rojas said. “I am taking opportunities as they come. You just have to be able to take chances.”

When residents, elected officials and the leadership of El Paso Water decided to try to bring first-time wastewater service to Montana Vista, they knew it would be a tall order.

The colonia in far east El Paso had for decades relied on septic tanks.

Bringing the precious wastewater infrastructure to their neighborhood required thousands of resident signatures, a sanctioned health study, advocacy from local and state elected officials and $12.9 million in financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Board’s (TWDB) Economically Distressed Area Program (EDAP).

A tall order indeed. But now that the vision is a reality and construction is underway, it’s very evident that the project is also a deep order. Because a wastewater system is typically gravity-based, that gravity flow had to be designed.

To achieve the necessary four-degree slope, the deepest manholes at the bottom of the system are a whopping 30 feet deep.

“This depth makes it very difficult to install the manholes without affecting other utilities, street paving, and accessibility for the residents and emergency services,” said Sergio Adame, an engineer with Brock & Bustillos, the firm that designed the project.

“It’s also a slow process. But once we install the deeper manholes, production will speed up as we move up higher and higher toward the street level.”

Not starting at the proper level could lead to not having the needed inclination to have the gravity-based wastewater line. The depth of the low-point manholes also allows for a system without lift stations to pump the wastewater, maximizing the TWDB funds.

Irazema Rojas, Capital Improvement Program Manager, says that although the utility is proud of the technical and logistical aspects of the project, she is most proud of EPWater’s outreach efforts to the community.

“One of the rewarding things about our engineering field is that we can make lives better,” Rojas said. “Through everyone’s efforts, including our community partners, we are now delivering this very necessary service. I got to meet many of the residents and receive hugs and numerous thank-yous for bringing the service to their community. It’s very moving.”

Next month, El Paso Water is hosting a free, family friendly event called DiscoverE – Building Curiosity.

“We’re thrilled to be able to showcase engineering as an exciting career path for El Paso’s youth,” said April Lopez, water conservation specialist for El Paso Water. “We want to ensure that El Paso and EPWater have a bright future, and that means inspiring students to problem solve and develop engineering interests that can positively impact and contribute to our city’s infrastructure.”

Engineering firms from across El Paso will be showcasing the latest in robotics and technology, thanks to a partnership with EPWater’s TecH2O Learning Center and the American Council of Engineering Companies. Families will get a hands-on experience while manipulating robotics, operating cranes and learning about the region’s watershed and water and wastewater systems.

“The future designers of our world will get a first-hand look at how El Paso engineers are using robotics to improve and grow the city – from the ground up,” EP Water officials added.

In addition, robotics teams entering in the Lego League Challenge at the University of Texas at El Paso will share how they perform tasks and show off their engineering marvels.

The Lego League Competition is designed as a challenge for youth to develop problem-solving concepts to shape a better future using modern-day tools like robotics.

“Visitors can come for the robotics and also stay for popcorn and a free screening of the Lego Movie showing at 12:30pm,” said Lopez. “We will also have EPWater’s award-winning parade float called Water Wars parked in front. It’s modeled after Star Wars-themed Legos and quite impressive to see in person.”

DiscoverE – Building Curiosity will be held February 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and all are welcome. For more information, visit www.tecH2O.org or call 915-621-2000.

Need a dragon head, most recently featured on El Paso Water’s 2018 award-winning parade float? Or how about a small fishing boat, last used to gather water samples at the Jonathan Rogers Water Treatment Plant?

The boat has sold, but luckily, the dragon head is still available to the public on govdeals.com, where EPWater’s Property Control department auctions off used items the utility no longer needs.

Property Control Officer Rudy Vargas and Materials Specialist Luis Nieto know one utility’s trash is another man’s treasure.

The process begins when Vargas and Nieto perform inventory audits across EPWater. Once they are done, Vargas and Nieto usually end up acquiring discarded items from the utility’s 45 departments.

“It’s stuff that has sat at our facilities for many years,” said Margaret Carrillo, Office Manager. “It’s stuff usually left in a junk pile off to the side.”

“We tell employees, “If you don’t use it, give it to us and we may find someone to use it or we can sell it in auction,” Vargas said.

Since Property Control began selling old utility property 3½ years ago, the public auctions have brought in over $100,000 in additional operational funds for the utility, Carrillo said. The auctions have reached buyers across the U.S., as well as in Mexico, Guatemala and Canada. Buyers are usually re-sellers, Vargas and Nieto said.

The hot-ticket items for sale are laptops, personal computers, radios and tools. The items no one wants? Desks and chairs.

“We sold a 1950s-era John Deere tractor to a farmer who came all the way from Cuauhtémoc, Mexico, to pick it up,” Nieto said. “He wanted it for parts, which are hard to find.”

The monthly auctions have become so successful Vargas and Nieto sometimes work on Saturdays to add auctions onto the site.

If an item doesn’t sell after three times, they will scrap it. But items usually sell.

Vargas and Nieto decide the opening bid and let the auction do its work.

“There are times I put an item up at $6, and it sells at $1,000,” Nieto said. “It didn’t sell in a previous auction, but you just never know.”

To access auctions, enter El Paso Water in the search field at govdeals.com.

River water season has officially dried up for the year, kicking off the beginning of maintenance at El Paso Water’s two river water treatment plants.

The to-do list is a long one for employees at the Robertson/Umbenhauer – aka the Canal Plant – and the Jonathan Rogers water treatment plants. Draining and cleaning sand-choked basins, desilting, along with equipment inspections is the order of the season that begins once flows from the Elephant Butte Reservoir end.

“Maintenance is a vital part of the operation,” said Mike Parker, superintendent at the Rogers Plant. “This transition period keeps the employee engaged, and I truly believe that if employees know the reasons why we do maintenance, it makes them eager to do their best.”

According to Angel Bustamante, Water Systems Division Manager, EP Water crews take a proactive approach to the upkeep of plant.

“The utility really strives to make sure that we don’t just react to maintenance, we plan for it,” Bustamante said. “We don’t want to be caught in a bind when something goes wrong. We like redundancy.”

The season also signals the beginning of Capital Improvement Program projects, which have been carefully planned over the summer.

“These projects typically occur in the maintenance season because we can’t shut off the plant once we receive river water,” Bustamante said. “We schedule the work so contractors can do it during the non-irrigation season.”

Current projects include an update of ozone generators at the Rogers Plant, as well as a replacement of climber screens, structural improvements and an update of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at the Canal Plant, Bustamante said.

The plants still field plenty of tour requests from area engineering students, even during maintenance season.

“When basins are drained, you get a better idea of what mechanics are involved,” Bustamante said. “We welcome the public to tour our plants. I recommend they come when there is river water and when there isn’t, so they can get a perspective from both sides.”

For communities where rivers flow all year, plants don’t have the opportunity to shut down for maintenance.

“It’s fascinating that no other system actually shuts down,” Parker said. “At El Paso Water, we suspend our river water plants and start them back up like it’s a walk in the park. But that’s a big, complex thing to do, and we do it every year.”

Officials with the Public Service Board recently announced that the El Paso Water Fiscal Year 2019-20 Stormwater and Water/Wastewater budget hearing will be held on Monday, December 2.

The meeting is open to the public, and public comment will be available at each meeting where staff will present budget priorities and drivers.

The community will hear about EPWater budget priorities, which include securing the water supply, rehabilitating facilities, expanding  systems due to city growth and continuing infrastructure improvements for flood control.

For those who can’t make the meetings in person, they will be streamed live, while recordings of the budget meetings will also air on City TV.

The next PSB meeting is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 8 a.m., which provides an opportunity for public comment on the budget and other items.

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 at 8 a.m. – EPWater budgets considered for approval by PSB at the regular monthly Public Service Board meeting.

WHAT: El Paso Water’s governing body, the Public Service Board (PSB), will hold a public meeting, where staff will present EPWater’s Operating and Capital Budget for fiscal year 2020-2021, which begins March 1, 2020.

WHERE: El Paso Water Main Office, Board Room – 4 th floor 1154 Hawkins Boulevard

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. – Budget Hearing (Water/Wastewater/Stormwater)

Thursday morning, officials with El Paso Electric (EPE), El Paso Water and Texas Gas Service teamed up to raise awareness and educate customers on scams through the fourth annual Utility Scam Awareness Week initiative.

First introduced by the Utilities United Against Scams, or UUAS, the week-long advocacy and awareness campaign focuses on educating customers of the tactics scammers use to steal their money.

“Working alongside El Paso Electric and El Paso Water allows us to raise awareness about scams. We want to make sure all of our customers receive the value in services they expect without falling victim to fraud,” said Texas Gas Service Director of Customer Service Callie Sneddon.