CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ ANNOUNCES $1.3 MILLION FOR MCALLEN PUBLIC UTILITY REUSE WATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT 

McAllen, Texas – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that the Bureau of Reclamation, in conjunction with the WaterSMART Project as part of the White House Interagency Drought Relief Working Group, has approved $1,327,305 for the McAllen Public Utility's Reuse Water Enhancement Project.

South Texas deals with an aging water infrastructure, uncertain access to water, a growing population, and a large agricultural system. This grant will assure the city of McAllen can respond to and prepare for drought and the effects of a changing climate.

"I am proud to welcome this funding that will equip our leaders to address the threat of droughts in South Texas," stated Congressman Gonzalez. "Droughts can disrupt food systems, lead to increased threat of wildfire, and hurt communities and economies. I look forward to continuing to work with local leaders to proactively approach droughts and enhance water systems across the region."

"As public stewards responsible for providing our current and future citizens with the precious resource of water, we are elated to receive this matching grant that will further improve our recycled water program," stated Mark Vega, General Manager of McAllen Public Utility. "I would like to thank our hard-working staff, our supportive McAllen Public Utility Board and especially the Bureau of Reclamation for this all-important funding opportunity."

McAllen Public Utility is only the second utility system in the state to use reclaimed water for irrigation purposes, saving clean water for residential consumption. This grant will help further expand these efforts in the area.

Through WaterSMART, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities to plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart to learn more.

###