McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The mayor of Laredo is demanding more information on resources, costs and planning for a potential water shortage, while the congressman from McAllen woman has proposed withholding funding from Mexico for failing to pay its water debt.
According to the meeting agenda, the Laredo City Council is holding a special meeting at noon Wednesday at the request of Mayor Victor Treviño, who wants to know what mitigation efforts and planning measures are in place and how the city’s new water conservation and drought plan will take effect in July.
He also has requested information on future water sources that Laredo can tap into as the city is expected to run out of water by 2040.
The city of over 260,000 residents gets all its water from the Rio Grande, but the river is shrinking due to excessive heat, drought and missed water payments from Mexico under a 1944 water treaty.
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, announced that she had secured language in a bill that would withhold U.S. funds from Mexico for failing to comply with the treaty. The measure passed a House committee on Tuesday but still must pass the full House and Senate.
Wednesday’s special city council meeting in Laredo comes after the council last month had funding questions about a water conservation plan involving its sister city Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, which has been in the works for over two years.
This week, organizers from the nonprofit Rio Grande International Study Center, which studies the Rio Grande, the Eagle Pass Border Coalition, and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas formed the El Rio Es Vida Coalition (The River is Life Coalition) to represent water interests. They sent Treviño a letter urging aggressive efforts regarding water.
“Thank you for your bold leadership on Laredo’s water challenges. You have long been at the
forefront of naming that we face a severe water security crisis and that we must urgently find
solutions. We believe Laredo must find the most immediate and affordable solutions for our
residents,” the letter reads.
The coalition also wants to be at the table in helping to advise the city on possible water solutions.
Several coalition members on Monday protested at City Hall in downtown Laredo after they were not allowed in to visit with the mayor to discuss their water concerns.
“We need the best minds working together. To that end, we are sharing a list of recommendations to ensure a robust and genuinely inclusive process that gains the benefit from the full expertise on water issues that exist in our community,” they wrote.
“The Rio Grande is part of our origin story. We believe that our ancestors are part of the rivers water itself. We must treat the water with respect just as we do our ancestors,” Juan Mancias, Carrizo/Comecrudo tribal chairman, said in a statement.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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