BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Conserving, storing, reusing, retaining and processing one of our natural resources were the topics of a forum held to discuss funding, partnership and planning to tackle today’s water crisis.
The event was hosted by the Texas Water Foundation and titled: Rio Grande Valley Funding Forum and Workshop: Building Partnerships for Water Planning.
It was held in the chamber of Cameron County Courthouse in Brownsville.
Various speakers pointed out that the crisis has been accentuated more and more by the growth taking place throughout South Texas and the Valley.
Agricultural land has been wiped out by urban growth and this is requiring more infrastructure and more water needs for cities and municipalities.
But one drought after another has been impacting the livelihoods of thousands of people here and elsewhere.
It was a year ago this month when some areas of the RGV got flooded by the rising rain waters but months of drought replaced the pain and suffering people went through.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. welcomed the participants of the day-long meeting, with a few words or of caution.
“We are glad with all the growth taking place today,” he said. “But such growth doesn’t happen without challenges and water is one of them.”
State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa said the issue of water is not going away anytime soon.
He said billions of dollars have been allocated for water development projects across the state but water has become a big issue in Corpus Christi.
Yet, Hinojosa added, a billion gallons of water are lost to leaks in the state each year.
State Rep. Janie Lopez said Falcon and Amistad dams have experienced low water levels over the last several years and asked herself what is that doing to the people’s livelihoods and to their communities.
Lopez, whose District 37 stretches from Brownsville to Raymondville, said they are going to need more than $250 million to address their water systems.
“We have a big water issue here,” she said, “but it’s also an issue across the state.”
Other participants of the forum included: Cameron County Commissioner David Garza; Marilyn Gilbert, the general manager and CEO with the Brownsville Public Utilities Board: Jesse J. Hereford, head of Strategic Partnership & Stakeholder with the North American Development Bank, Kathleen Ligon, assistant executive administrator for Texas Water Development Board, and Chris Hartley with USDA’s Office of Environmental Markets, among others.
The forum participants agreed the water issue impacting the region can be dealt more effectively if all RGV communities work together.
