City of Eagle Pass Hosts Seventh Annual Water and Wastewater Regional Conference
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
Over 40 municipalities, water systems, and wastewater entities attended the Texas Water Development Board’s Seventh Annual Water and Wastewater Regional Conference held during February 22-24, 2023, hosted by the City of Eagle Pass and Eagle Pass Water Works System, at the International Center for Trade in Eagle Pass, Texas, announced Jorge Barrera, General Manager of the Eagle Pass Water Works System.
Barrera stated more than 200 persons attended the two and a half day conference and trade exposition in Eagle Pass from throughout Texas, including the Middle Rio Grande and South Texas, to learn and share the latest technology and developments available in water and wastewater systems in Texas. Barrera added that the City of Eagle Pass and Eagle Pass Waterworks System have hosted this regional conference for the past seven years in collaboration with the Texas Water Development Board.
More than 30 water and wastewater technology and vendor companies participated in a trade exposition demonstrating their latest technology and systems during the conference, featuring important presentations and discussions among water and wastewater experts in Texas.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. welcomed all the attendees and businesses participating in the Seventh Annual Water and Wastewater Regional Conference. Mayor Salinas thanked the Texas Water Development Board for the outstanding work and financing of water and wastewater projects in Texas. Salinas noted how important it is for municipalities and water systems to stay abreast of new technology and programs as well as exchange their experiences with regional water and wastewater systems.
Barrera introduced keynote speaker George Peyton, Board member of the Texas Water Development Board, at the conference on Wednesday, February 23, who addressed the conference on the latest updates from the Texas Water Development Board. Peyton discussed the new laws and programs managed by the Texas Water Development Board as well as how to apply for state funding of water and wastewater improvements and projects.
Former Eagle Passan and civil engineer, Jaime Kypuros of Tetra Tech in San Antonio, Texas, presented a fascinating discussion on the Rio Grande River Basin being in a 1,200 year mega drought that is significantly impacting the water supply to six million people and two million acres of farming that rely on the nation’s fifth longest river, the Rio Grande, for their water supply. Kypuros noted that temperature increase, also known as climate change, and decrease of river inflows due to long-term precipitation deficits is causing a serious re-examination of water use and supply as demand increases due to population growth along the Texas-Mexico border.
Native Eagle Passan and bond counsel, Juan Aguilera of Escamilla and Poneck, LLP of San Antonio, discussed financing options and compliance with federal securities laws in financing water and wastewater projects.
Other presentations at the regional conference included utility management issues and challenges by Marco Vega of McAllen, Texas; wastewater plant optimization plans by John Byrum of the Nueces River Authority; high accuracy GNSS and real time data collection by David Pritchard of Texian GeoSpatial and Wendy Garcia of Eagle Pass Water Works System; Texas Water Development Financial Assistance Programs by Scott Gallaway of TWDB in Austin, Texas; lead and copper rule revisions by Erica Solis of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from Austin, Texas; confined space safety equipment checks by James Fischer of Texas A & M Engineering Extension Service; disconnections, meter tampering, and recommended practices by Ruben Barrera of Langley & Banack of San Antonio; the San Antonio Water System Master Water Plan by Bobby Johnson of SAWS in San Antonio; bidding versus inter-local purchasing systems by Javier Farias of TIPS-USA; NAD Bank Funding Programs by Laueano Alvarez of NAD Bank in San Antonio; and improving operational efficiency by Brett Hill of HydroPro SOL.
Conference attendees enjoyed an after-hours mixer at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino on Wednesday, February 23, and luncheons provided by trade conference exhibitors and conference sponsors.
Eagle Pass continues to attract regional and statewide conferences to the International Center for Trade, bringing important hotel and tourism revenues to local hotels and retail businesses. The conference was a great success, Jorge Barrera said.
