Funding provided through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for future facility
EL PASO – El Paso Water was recognized as an international water reuse leader in the announcement of $20 million in Bureau of Reclamation funding for its future Advanced Water Purification Facility. The funding was announced at a joint news conference by the utility and the Department of the Interior on Monday, Sept. 26, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant. The Bureau of Reclamation is under the Department of the Interior.
Tanya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science for the Department of the Interior, said the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would provide significant investments to make a difference in communities such as El Paso and across the nation.
“The Advanced Water Purification Facility will be one of the first direct-to-distribution potable reuse projects of its kind,” Trujillo said. “This project is state of the art, and it gives me tremendous hope for the future. El Paso is an outstanding model for Western communities in desalination, water reuse and overall efficiency.”
Water reuse journey
EPWater President and CEO John Balliew called the Advanced Water Purification Facility the next iteration in the utility’s water reuse system in El Paso. EPWater’s reuse journey began in the 1960s when the utility began irrigating Ascarate Park Golf Course with reclaimed water, he said.
“The facility’s purified water is part of our water resources portfolio,” Balliew said. “It’s a drought-proof supply. We can treat it and make it available for our customers. For every gallon of this water that we produce, it’s a gallon less of river water or well water that we have to produce.”
EPWater’s planning process spans 50 years into the future. Aside from an annual river water supply, the utility has built an innovative portfolio of water resources that includes desalination, water reuse and conservation. Because of years of investment and responsible management of water sources, EPWater is recognized as an internationally renowned industry leader.
Innovation leader
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar praised the groundbreaking work that is happening in El Paso. “It gives me so much joy to see this funding make a positive impact on our community,” Escobar said. “This money would not have made a difference were it not for the leadership of John Balliew and his team at El Paso Water, who have demonstrated innovation and groundbreaking creativity over the decades.”
Pat Sinicropi, Executive Director of the WateReuse Association, said the Advanced Water Purification Facility will change the industry.
“This facility is the game changer in the nation’s efforts to secure safe and reliable water supply for ratepayers throughout the West and nationwide,” Sinicropi said. “It will provide 10 million gallons a day of water that is reliable, of the highest quality and, critically, one that is locally controlled.”
Construction of the facility, which is designed by Carollo Engineering, is not due until late 2023, Balliew said.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects to repair aging water delivery systems, secure dams, complete rural water projects and protect aquatic ecosystems. The funding announced is part of the $1 billion in WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants program.