BECC NEWS
January 1996
Contents:
BOARD APPROVES THREE PROJECTS DURING PUBLIC MEETING
BECC BOARD APPROVES THREE NEW RULES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE PROVISION OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
NEW STEP I FORMAT RECEIVED
During one of the most vibrant and interactive public meetings to date, the Board of Directors of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) certified three environmental infrastructure projects on January 18th, in Nogales, Sonora. The three projects with an estimated total cost of $42 million dollars will benefit more than 235,000 border residents, on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing the total number of certified projects to six. Projects certified by the BECC qualify for financing consideration from the North American Development Bank (NADBank).
More than 500 people attended the public meeting including non-governmental organizations, government officials, local residents, and members of Mexico's largest political parties. Nearly 50 of the meeting participants provided comments to the Board on the projects, prior to approval.
The three projects certified in the public meeting include: Water Supply and Distribution for Nogales, Sonora ($39 million dollars); Upgrade of Water and Wastewater for Douglas, Arizona ($2 million dollars); and a wastewater treatment plant for the FINSA Industrial Park in Matamoros, Tamaulipas ($1 million dollars).
Water Supply and Distribution Project, Nogales, Sonora, Phase I
The $39 million Water Supply and Distribution Project for Nogales, Sonora is part of a multi-step project aimed at providing comprehensive water and wastewater service to 215,000 residents of Nogales. Phase I includes upgrading the 30-year old water supply and distribution system, including repairs to a distribution network that is experiencing more than 7,000 ruptures per year.
Phase I will continue to utilize the Los Alisos aquifer, a national aquifer of Mexico, by replacing 30 antiquated and poor water-quality wells with 3 energy-efficient, high quality wells. No new wells will be drilled in the binational Santa Cruz Aquifer during Phase I of the project, and until corresponding studies have been completed, in coordination with Nogales, Arizona. The 3 new wells in the Los Alisos Aquifer will provide an equal amount of water to the distribution system as is now being pumped. Because leaking water (which presently ends up in the wastewater system) will be captured and utilized, there will be no need to increase the rate of pumping.
The project also includes the implementation of a metering system which will enhance the ability of the City to determine the quantity of water being utilized by all customers in addition to encouraging water conservation.
Metering, in addition to other system management improvements, will contribute to the institutional capacity building of the Comision de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del Estado de Sonora-Nogales (COAPAES).
Recognizing the need for the City of Nogales, Sonora to prepare for future water needs, Phase I also incorporates a binational hydrological modeling of the Santa Cruz Aquifer. The study will be conducted in conjunction with the State of Arizona to ensure that future use of the aquifer meets the needs of both communities on a sustainable basis. Because water resources are controlled by the National Water Commission in Mexico, BECC can only recognize the local agreements, and encourage the States of Sonora and Arizona to build upon existing interstate agreements and cooperate in the future utilization of this shared aquifer.
Of the estimated $39 million dollars in project costs, 50% may be covered by a NADBank loan, 40% by grants, and 10% by equity investment. In providing 24-hour water service and measuring water use accurately, COAPAES will be able to collect a greater percentage of water fees from the community. To ensure that the public will support the payment of a new user fee, which will enable COAPAES to repay a NADBank loan, the user fee structure needs to be further defined and accepted by the public. COAPAES plans to structure the user fees such that there will be less of an impact on lower-income residents. The project sponsor must implement a community participation program to engage the public in this important discussion of user fees.
In granting its unanimous certification, the Board of Directors applied the following condition: Nogales, Sonora, must submit to the Commission, within 60 days after certification, a program that defines the time periods and manner in which the following actions will be accomplished:
Updating of the current user data base, in order to minimize the percentage of non registered users and to adequately classify the different types of users of the service.
Implement procedures for the permanent updating of the user data base.
Implement a macroscale metering program at the water sources and microscale metering at the user level for the medium and high consumers; as well as a program for preventive maintenance and leak control in the distribution network and the household connections.
Implement measures in order to increase the level of billing and collection efficiency and decrease the amount of past-due accounts in the payment for the water service.
Simplify the meter reading, billing and collection procedures, as well as update the status of payment for each account.
Establish a new equitable fee policy with public participation, that will distribute the cost of the service as a function of the benefit that each type of user obtains.
Upgrade of Wastewater and Water Treatment System, Douglas, Arizona (Phase I)
With public support from governmental and non-governmental organizations, the $2 million project to upgrade the wastewater and water treatment system for Douglas, Arizona was approved by the BECC Board. The project will improve the distribution and collection systems for water supply and wastewater, including water main improvements, new wastewater interceptor lines, extensions of water lines to the Fairview Colonia, and extensions of wastewater lines to the Sunnyside Colonia, both adjacent to the city. These improvements will benefit 1,250 residents and allow the City of Douglas to improve service to existing customers and provide service to colonias which presently have no service.
In granting its unanimous certification, the Board of Directors applied the following conditions: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Approval to Construct Water Facilities, if such a permit is required
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Approval to Construct Wastewater Facilities, if such a permit is required
Wastewater Treatment for the FINSA Industrial Park, Matamoros, Tamaulipas
The $1 million dollar Wastewater Treatment Plant for the FINSA Industrial Park, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, is the first privately-sponsored project of the six projects certified by the BECC Board of Directors. The project will provide treatment of sanitary effluent for the 22,000 employee industrial park; treatment facilities for industrial waste are already in place.
Recognizing the need for private project sponsors to engage the public in the project, BECC encouraged FINSA to involve the residents of the colonias surrounding the Industrial Park. As a result, the sponsor held a series of public meetings, and agreed to plan, design, and oversee the construction of a wastewater infrastructure project in the colonias adjacent to the Industrial Park. FINSA sent a letter of commitment to the BECC to invest at least $35,000 in the project. The day prior to the January 18th public meeting in Nogales, Sonora, BECC asked the sponsor to raise its financial commitment for the colonias wastewater project to $50,000, subject to FINSA's Board's approval. BECC, together with the municipal authorities from Matamoros and representatives from neighboring colonias, will put together a local steering committee to oversee the development of the project. The colonias wastewater project will become part of a larger collection system design by the City of Matamoros as it further develops plans for an expanded municipal wastewater treatment system.
In granting its unanimous certification, the Board of Directors applied the following conditions: Obtain from the National Water Commission (CNA) a discharge permit that includes the water quality standards for the wastewater treatment plant effluent.
Develop the studies and design of the sanitary sewers for the neighboring colonias, in accordance with FINSA's commitment, contributing in-kind services valued at $50,000 for this purpose.
These conditions are contingent upon NADBank's financing of the project.
During the latter part of 1995, BECC staff drafted a number of rules of procedure governing, in large part, BECC's relationship with the public. After providing copies of the draft rules to the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and public for review, BECC received valuable input, which enabled staff to make needed revisions. The BECC Board approved three of the new rules during the January public meeting including: Procedures Regarding Publication of Notice of Public Meetings of the Board of Directors; Procedures Regarding Public Notice and Comment on Project Applications; Procedures Regarding Conflicts of Interest. These rules are now available in final form. For more information, or to receive a copy, contact BECC's legal counsel Chuck Sheehan, at (011-52-16) 239-23-95.
KUDOS!
BECC would like to extend a sincere thanks to everyone who provided comments to the BECC before and during the January 18, 1996 public meeting of the Board of Directors on both projects and rules of procedure. Every comment BECC received contributed to improving the projects and rules under consideration!
The BECC is accepting proposals from firms interested in providing Project Development Assistance Services on an on-call basis in order to assist in the development of water, wastewater, and municipal solid waste facilities to communities located along both sides of the U.S./Mexico border.
The BECC is submitting a request to obtain funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to help fund the provision of these services. Selection of firm(s) will take place on or about April 1, 1996. BECC intends to establish a Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP), and intends to engage the services of one or more firms, located in the U.S. and/or Mexico with the ability to perform work or, if necessary, be able to team with additional firms able to work in the U.S. and Mexico.
Requests for Proposals can be obtained at BECC's office at: Blvd. Tomas Fernandez No. 7940, Torres Campestre, Sixth Floor, Cd. Juarez, Chih. C.P. 32470, or by calling the office at (011-52-16) 29-23-95. Please direct any technical questions and requests for information to Dr. Jorge Aguirre, Ph.D., P.E., Technical Director, and procedural questions to Hector Gonzalez, Program Manager for Strategic Planning.
The BECC has received Step I forms for the following projects:
BAAM Alamar, Tijuana, B.C. Est. Cost $16 million dollars
BAAM Zona del Rio, Tijuana, B.C. Est. Cost $61 million dollars
BAAM Lagunas de Oxidacion, Tijuana, B.C. Est. Cost $11 million dollars
ORADEL, Nuevo Laredo, Tamps. Est. Cost $9 million dollars
Reynosa Ecologica, Reynosa, Tamps. Est. Cost $5 million dollars
Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ojinaga, Chih. Est. Cost $4 million dollars
Tijuana, B.C. Est. Cost $19 million dollars
Used Oil Collection, Tijuana, B.C. Est. Cost $0
Solid Waste Landfill, Puerto Peñasco, Son. Est. Cost $2 million dollars
For more information on these new projects, contact Tracy Williams at (011-52-16) 29-23-95.
NEXT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD
The next public meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for April 30, 1996, in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua. More detailed information on the meeting and any projects to be considered will be available at least 45 days prior to the meeting.