New pump station begins operation in Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6 in Texas

• NADB provided US$990,000 grant to purchase the equipment

Brownsville, Texas – The new Los Fresnos-Santa Rita Pump Station, which was partially financed with a grant for close to US$990,000 from the North American Development Bank (NADB), was inaugurated today by the Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6 (CCID#6).

U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela, (TX-34); Edward Drusina, Commissioner of the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), Alex Hinojosa, Deputy Managing Director of NADB; Bech Brunn, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Ray Lopez, chairman of the CCID#6 Board, along with other local officials, were on hand to cut the ribbon marking the official start-up of the pump station.

This US$1.98 million project adjacent to the Rio Grande River and the U.S.-Mexico border is replacing the old pump station built in the early 1900’s. For several years now its average overall efficiency has been low, contributing to estimated water losses of more than 12,730 acre-feet/year through seepage and evaporation in the canals. CCID#6 provides irrigation services to about 19,268 acres of farm land and supplies municipal water to the city of Los Fresnos, Texas, and the Olmito Water Supply Corporation, among others.

The project consisted of installing two supplemental vertical turbine pumps with natural gas powered motors, as well as a 36” pipeline to connect each pump to the conveyance line that will transport the water to the supply canal.

“We are pleased to see the completion of this important project, which will increase water availability and service reliability for the District’s users, while at the same time significantly reducing the District’s energy requirements and operating costs,” stated Alex Hinojosa during his remarks in the ceremony.