Project will recharge aquifer with stormwater, reclaimed water
EL PASO – El Paso Water celebrated the first phase of the Aquifer Storage and Recharge project in Northeast El Paso, which will strengthen the city’s water portfolio and boost long-term drought resilience. Phase one marks the creation of the Enhanced Arroyo Infiltration Facility, a 2-mile-long infiltration basin that will resemble a stream channel.
“This two-phase project will protect the Hueco Bolson aquifer, which is the backbone of our water supply,” President and CEO John Balliew said. “The ASR project essentially allows us to put water in the bank that we can withdraw when river water is in short supply. El Paso Water benefits greatly from the support of the Public Service Board, and this is just another example of the PSB’s commitment to finding future water resources for El Paso.”
PSB Chair Ivonne Santiago recognized Balliew and the EPWater team, as well as engineering, state and federal partners for developing the innovative project. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded $3 million to EPWater for the project as a water reuse innovation. EPWater also received $4.5 million from the Office of the Governor’s Texas Military Preparedness Commission. Mayor Oscar Leeser emphasized the project will benefit both the city and Fort Bliss, which depends on the same aquifer.
“The development of this project will help manage our water resources for the future and defer other options, such as water importation,” Santiago said. “We appreciate the efforts of EPWater to pursue funding, which saves ratepayer money, and partnerships, which help make these projects possible.”
District 4 City Rep. Joe Molinar welcomed the strategy to introduce a new recreational amenity, which will include walking trails, to his Northeast El Paso community.
“It’s going to be a quality-of-life project that’s unique to El Paso, and it’s going to be something that we in the Northeast are going to be very proud of,” Molinar said.
Initially, stormwater and cleaned reclaimed water will recharge the aquifer. When the project is complete, treated Rio Grande water will be pumped to the site for infiltration, providing an additional water source. For more information on aquifer recharge, please visit our webpage.