x>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program
U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program
Did you know?
Without properly
functioning wastewater
systems, communities are
exposed to serious health
risks from waterborne
illnesses such as hepatitis
and gastrointestinal
diseases.
Did you know?
Every new household
connected to a collection
and treatment system in
the U.S. prevents
approximately 200
gallons per day of raw
sewage from flowing into
rivers, lakes and streams.
Did you know?
Investments in
wastewater programs
along the U.S.-Mexico
Border save the U.S. $6
million from avoided
diseases and over $13
million from ecological
EPA's U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infra-
structure Program (BWIP) provides fund-
ing for planning, design and construction
of critical water and wastewater infra-
structure in underserved communities
along the U.S.-Mexico border. Many of
these communities are economically dis-
tressed and lack access to safe drinking
water and adequate wastewater collec-
tion and treatment service.
This Annual Report highlights program
accomplishments for federal fiscal year
2013 and aspects of the program that
make it unique.
The BWIP is the only federal program
that can fund infrastructure projects on
both sides of the border. Preventing raw
sewage discharge at the source is the
most cost-effective and technically sound
way to protect the health of U.S. resi-
dents and the quality of our water re-
sources. Providing safe drinking water
reduces the spread of waterborne dis-
ease and protects public health.
Since its 1995 inception, the BWIP has
completed 84 projects. These projects
provided first-time access to safe drinking
water to over 63,000 homes and first-time
access to wastewater collection and
treatment services to nearly 570,000
homes. Over 8 million border residents
are benefiting from these projects.
The six projects completed in FY 2013
provided over 3,400 homes with safe
drinking water and close to 26,000 homes
with adequate wastewater collection and
treatment services.
The BWIP is also one of the few federal
programs that assists communities in the
planning, design and construction of wa-
ter infrastructure projects. Communities
lacking sufficient technical expertise and
financial resources to develop projects on
their own receive development assis-
tance that prepares them to apply for
construction funding under the BWIP and
other programs.
By the end of FY 2013, the program was
assisting 26 communities with project
development, including environmental
and engineering review, design, financial
analysis and public participation. Some of
these projects incorporate sustainable
infrastructure components that allow
communities to reduce environmental
impacts and energy costs. These
measures ensure the environmental and
economic sustainability of the projects.
Once completed, approximately half a
million border residents will benefit from
these projects.
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U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure [Annual Report 2013
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/wastewater/
mexican/index.cfm
Addressing Infrastructure Needs of Border Tribes
The Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation is located in the western
part of the Carrizo Desert of California. The tribe's sole source of drinking
water comes from the reservation's wells and springs. Due to their proxim-
ity to septic tanks and excessive sanding, these wells had significant water
quality problems that threatened public health. Contaminants included
nitrates and coliform bacteria. In 2009, the Tribal Border Program awarded
$346,660 of U.S.-Mexico Border Program funds to rehabilitate 21 wells,
drill three new wells and install four small water storage tanks with water
lines. This project, completed in FY2013, provided 20 tribal homes and
four community buildings with safe drinking water.
,,v.
Final installation of two 20,000-gallon water storage tanks
Addressing Arsenic Contamination
For residents of Anthony, N.M., completing a water system improvement pro-
ject meant having access to a sustainable water supply. Before the improve-
ments, some wells in Anthony had arsenic levels as high as 16.55 parts per
billion. The improvements reduced arsenic concentrations to 10 parts per
billion. The project included construction of two water wells with a combined
i capacity of 1,700 gallons a minute, installation of new pump equipment in two
! other water wells, a reverse osmosis unit with a capacity of 600 gallons per
minute, and more than 14,900 feet of PVC water lines. The BWIP provided
$261,000 to the City of Anthony for the planning and design phase, and $2.8
million in construction funds.
New well station in Anthony, N.M.
Addressing Failing Septic Tanks
Rio Grande City, Texas, decommissioned 27 failing septic
tanks, installed 27 home wastewater connections, and constructed
1,480 linear feet of wastewater collection line. The project now pro-
vides wastewater collection services to approximately 111 residents
along Water Street in Rio Grande City and eliminated the individual-
ly owned septic tanks, which did not meet the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality's new design guidelines. The BWIP provided
Rio Grande City with $77,950 for the planning and design phase,
and 100 percent of the $227,191 in construction funds.
Replacement of wastewater collection line in Rio Grande City,
Texas (photo courtesy ofNADB)
SEPA
Office of Wastewater Management
832R14009 August 2014
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