BECC Board to Consider Juarez Wastewater Treatment Project during Public Meeting

First Cell of Landfill Under Construction in Agua Prieta

Construction Count: BECC-Certified Projects

IBWC Facilities Planning Program: A Solution to Border Sanitation Problems

Public Meeting of the Board of Directors

Complaints Procedures Available for Public Review

New step I forms received

The $30 million wastewater treatment project for Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, will be considered by the BECC Board of Directors for certification during the September 30^th public meeting in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The proposed project will provide wastewater treatment for the first time in history to the city exceeding 1.2 million people.

The proposed project includes:

• two wastewater treatment plants, "North" and "South," which will provide Advanced Primary Treatment (APT), allowing the effluent to be used for agricultural irrigation purposes;
• supplemental sanitation projects that will include new conveyance lines for drainage and wastewater collection lines; and
• supplemental projects that will rehabilitate and replace the wastewater collection lines in various sectors of the city.

This project consists of the treatment of municipal wastewater through an Advanced Primary Treatment (APT). The treatment involves grit removal, small material removal, and a clarifoculation treatment, followed by a final chlorine disinfection process. The treatment may be modified, based on the demand and wastewater quality, to a biological treatment process (activated sludge through no nitrate load.) The project is located in the Valle de Juárez (Juarez Valley) in the Environmental Integration Zone, Irrigation District No. 009, in the confluence of the Intercepting Drainpipe & 1 A, in a 23.6 hectare lot. The plant has been designed to treat 57 MGD (2.5 m3/s).

This project consists of the treatment of municipal wastewater through an Advanced Primary Treatment (APT). The treatment involves grit removal, small material removal and a clarifoculation treatment, followed by a final chlorine disinfection process. The treatment may be modified based on the demand and wastewater quality to a biological treatment process (activated sludge through a no nitrate load). The project is located in the Valle de Juárez in the Environmental Integration Zone, Irrigation District No. 009, one kilometer from the discharge drainpipe, in a 23.5 hectare lot. The plant has been designed to initially treat 22.8 MGD (1.0 m3/s) and will be able to reach a capacity of 80 MGD (3.5m3/s).

This portion of the project will increase the provision of wastewater collection services from 80 percent to 93 percent coverage, such that 100% of the areas covered by the drinking water supply service will have wastewater collection service.

The large portion of the financing for the project will come from a Mexican federal government grant totaling $11 million, through Mexico’s National Water Commission and FINFRA. If certified, the project will qualify for an additional $11 million grant through the North American Development Bank’s (NADBank) Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF). The remaining funding, approximately $8 million, will come from private investments.

Comments on the project are welcome at any time before or during the public meeting of the Board of Directors, on September 30, 1997. A detailed summary of the project is available for review via BECC’s website: http://cocef.interjuarez.com, or by contacting the BECC Offices directly. For more information on the project, contact Mr. Edgardo Tovilla, Technical Coordinator, at (011-52-16) 29-23-95.

BECC and NADBank representatives participated in an evaluation of the construction of the first cell of the $1.9 million municipal solid waste landfill project for the city of Agua Prieta, Sonora. Construction on the project began in July 1997, with funds from Mexico’s Secretary for Social Development (SEDESOL).

Certified by the BECC Board of Directors on November 9, 1996, the Agua Prieta project will replace the existing open-air dump in the city. Prior to certification, the BECC provided a technical assistance grant to the city for a rate modal, institutional strengthening and project proposal.

Since certification, the NADBank has assisted the project sponsor in developing a financial plan and identifying other funding sources for the project. The Bank will participate in the project as an investment banker and direct lender. The Mexican federal government, through SEDESOL, has agreed to finance part of the project as well. For the first phase of the project, the Bank will provide up to $250,000 in credit; SEDESOL has already provided $250,000 for Phase I construction. The NADBank’s resources, once authorized, will be utilized to equip the sanitary landfill.

The Agua Prieta project is the eight project to begin construction, of the 16 projects certified by the BECC over the last two years.

For more information, contact Mr. Adolfo Urias, BECC’s Engineering Program Manager at (011-52-16) 29-23-95.

The following projects have completed and/or are under construction:

• Wastewater Treatment Plant, FINSA, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, $1 million (completed)
• Water Treatment Plant in Brawley, CA, $25 million.
• Water Supply and Sewage Collection Project, Mercedes, TX, $4.1 million.
• Upgrade of Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Douglas, AZ, $2 million.
• On-Site Self-Help Wastewater Treatment System for the Colonias of El Paso County, Texas, $213,000.
• Wastewater Reuse Project, El Paso, TX, $11.7 million.
• Water Supply and Distribution Project (Phase I), Nogales, Son., $39 million.
• Sanitary Landfill Project, Agua Prieta, Sonora, $1.9 million.

The United States and Mexico, through the U.S. and Mexican sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), have developed a program that will advance wastewater infrastructure project planning to provide solutions to border sanitation problems in targeted border communities along the Rio Grande River, New River and Nogales Wash.

The Facilities Planning Program was formalized through the application of the United States-Mexico Water Treaty signed on February 3, 1944, in an amendment which is referred to as "Minute 294." The Program has identified a number of goals to help with the development of facilities plans. Additionally, the Program will 1) help prepare projects for BECC certification and NADBank financing; and 2) enable immediate-need construction on smaller cost and high priority components of project plans for Mexicali, Baja California and Nogales, Sonora-Nogales, Arizona.

Funding for the $46 million program was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Of this amount, $10 million is earmarked for planning and design of high-priority wastewater facilities including Cd. Acuña and Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Reynosa; $36 million is earmarked for wastewater improvements in Mexicali and Ambos Nogales.

The Facilities Planning Program envisions strong partnerships with the U.S. and Mexican Sections of IBWC and Mexico’s National Water Commission (CNA) and affected communities. Binational technical committees have been set up in each of the projects to complete project components. The BECC and NADBank have participated in the technical committee meetings from the start, and will help future project sponsors through the BECC’s Step II Application process.

For more information on the program, contact Mr. Carlos Peña Jr., P.E., at the U.S. Section of the IBWC, Tel: (915) 534-6605; Fax: (915) 523-6814; E-mail: IBWC02@whc.net; or Dr. Alberto Ramirez, at the Mexican Section of the IBWC, Tel (011-52-16) 13-99-42; Fax: (011-52-16) 13-99-43.

The BECC Board of Directors will consider the Wastewater Treatment Project for Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, during its upcoming public meeting on September 30, 1997, from 9:00 am - 2:00pm, at the Corbett Center located on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The $30 million project will include the construction of two wastewater treatment plants and the expansion and rehabilitation of the wastewater collection system.

The BECC also will announce a number of technical assistance grant awards during the meeting and review a work plan of projects it is considering for development and certification over the next twelve months. On the U.S. side of the border, the work plan includes an expansion of the Jonathon Rogers Water Treatment Plant in El Paso, Texas; Phase II and Phase III of the water and wastewater expansion project for the Lower Valley Water District covering Socorro and San Elizario, Texas; a water treatment plant in Del Rio, Texas; and a wastewater treatment project for Calexico, California.

On the Mexican side of the border, the work plan includes wastewater treatment projects for Reynosa and Mexicali, and build, operate, transfer (BOT) projects for Cd. Acuña and Piedras Negras. The work plan of projects, including additional projects to be considered for certification over the next year, will be presented to the public for comments during the September public meeting.

During the meeting, the Board will present a draft of the proposed Complaints Procedures, for which Board members are soliciting public comments.

Anyone interested in submitting written comments to the Board of Directors on any agenda item, should send them to the BECC fifteen days prior to the public meeting. Anyone interested in making a brief statement to the Board may do so during the public meeting.

For more information on the public meeting, contact Tracy Williams at (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: twilliams@cocef.interjuarez.com.

1. Approval of Agenda (Action)
2. Approval of Minutes (Action)
3. Executive Committee Report (Information)
4. Managers Report (Information)

- Report on the Meeting in San Diego

5. Complaints Procedures

- Public Comments

6. Technical Assistance Program Update (Information)

7. Technical Assistance Announcements

8. Consideration of the Juarez Wastewater Treatment Project for Certification

- Public Comments

9. General Public Comments

The BECC’s Procedures Regarding Complaints are available for a 30-day public review period, beginning September 25^th. The Procedures will not be considered for approval during the September 30^th public meeting of the Board of Directors, in respect for the 30-day review period, although time will be set aside for public comments during the meeting. In brief, the Complaints Procedures reference any project submitted to the BECC that has received BECC assistance or has been certified by the Board of Directors.

The Board will consider the approval of the Complaints Procedures after a thorough review and consideration of the public comments, following the close of the public review period.

The draft Procedures are currently maintained on the BECC’s website: http://cocef.interjuarez.com, or can be obtained by contacting the BECC Offices directly. Please submit comments to Mr. Donald Hobbs, BECC’s Legal Counsel, on or before October 25^th, by mail: P.O. Box 221648, El Paso, Texas 79902, fax: (011-52-16) 29-23-97; or e-mail: dhobbs@cocef.interjuarez.com.

In accordance with Article I of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission’s (BECC) Procedures Regarding Public Notice and Comment on Project Applications, the BECC has received a Step I Form for the following projects during the months of July and August. Please note that this listing does not represent any type of BECC staff recommendation concerning the potential for project certification.

Wastewater Collection System, Reynosa, Tamaulipas. The project comprises 125,799 m of sewer rehabilitation at 2 cm diameter; 17,780 m trunk sewer at 25 to 107 cm diameter; and the construction of 17,493 m of household discharge outlets to the wastewater collection system. Est. Total Cost: $6.3 million. Contact: Lic. Luis Gerardo Higareda Adam, Represenante; Comisión Estatal, Río Pánuco y J. Escandon Col. Longoria, Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Tel: (011-52- ) 24-12-13; Fax: (011-52- ) 24-33-16. Rec’d: 7/17/97.

Agua Clara Wastewater Treatment Plant for the Reuse of the treated effluent of IBWC’s International Plant in the South Bay area of San Diego, California. Agua Clara Wastewater Treatment Plant for the Reuse of the treated effluent of IBWC’s International Plant in the South Bay area of San Diego, California. Total Est. Cost: to be determined. Contact: Mr. Enrique Landa, Managing Member, Agua Clara LLC, P.O. Box 812, Rancho Santa Fe, California 92607. Tel: (619) 756-3349; Fax: (619) 756-2561. Rec’d: 7/21/97.

City of Roma, Human Health and Environment Need Project, Roma, Texas. The project is designed to improve the drinking water system and wastewater collection and treatment system for the city of Roma and surrounding areas within Starr County. The project area includes approximately 68 separate colonias. The proposed facilities will provide service to about 5,190 households. Est. Total Cost: to be determined. Contact: Mr. Fernando Peña, Mayor, City of Roma, P.O. Box 947, Roma, Texas 78584. Tel: (956) 849-1411; Fax: (956) Rec’d. 8/8/97.

Wastewater Treatment Plant for the City of Nueva Rosita, Coahuila. The project includes a wastewater treatment plant (oxidation ditches and stabilization ponds) for a capacity of 4.2 million gallons per day (mgd) for Nueva Rosita. Est. Total Cost: $1.3 million. Contact: Javier E. Dávila Arizpe, Director General, Comisión Estatal de Aguas y Saneamiento de Coahuila, De la Fuente 433 Altos, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000. Tel: (011-52-84) 12-70-69; Fax: (011-52-84) 14-05-68. Rec’d: 8/12/97.

Complete Sanitation and Lagoon Treatment for Sanderson, Terrell County, Texas. The project will provide first time sanitary sewer service comprised of a complete sanitary sewer collection system and wastewater treatment plant of two facultative lagoons and two oxidation ponds for a 0.165 million gallons per day (mgd). Est. Total Cost: $3.7 million. Contact: Mr. Tom Lowrance, General Manager, Terrell County Water Control and Improvement District, P.O. Box 569, Sanderson, Texas 79848. Tel: (915) 345-2501; Fax: (915) 345-2501. Rec’d: 8/19/97.

Olivehain Water Storage Project, Escondido, California. The project consists of an open, raw water storage reservoir with a capacity between 6,000-24,000 acre feet, a roller compacted concrete cam, and 82 mgd water treatment plant connecting to the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). Total Est. Cost: $65 million. Contact: Mr. David C. McCollum, General Manager, Olivehain Municipal Water District, 1966 Olivehain Road, Encinitas, CA 92024. Tel: (760) 753-6466; Fax: (760) 753-5640. Rec’d: 8/25/97.

For more information, contact Mr. Edgardo Tovilla, BECC’s Technical Coordinator, Tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; E-mail: etovilla@cocef.interjuarez.com.