Andrea Flores PEÑITAS- Desarrollo Humano, a non-profit organization, shared how they overcame low water pressure and a water boil notice sent by Agua Special Utility District while being located in the outskirts of Peñitas.
Agua SUD issued the notice on June 26 for the area between Tom Gill to Jara Chinas Road and Mile 4 to 7 Road, “due to the extended and extreme heat wave our area is experiencing and in response to a significant drop in water pressure across the region,” according to Agua SUD.
Executive Director for Proyecto Desarrollo Humano Sister Fatima Santiago talked about the non-profit organization’s experience during the water boil notice.
“We had a lot of problems because we have summer school for the children,” Santiago said. “And our children, we were so worried […] so we bought waters for them in the beginning. And then for the bathroom, we have a well here, so we brought water from the well, to the bathroom. Because we didn’t want to close the school, we wanted to have it by all means. It’s for the good of the children.”
On July 14, the utility district rescinded the notice.
“Now the pressure is not so much but at least we have some water,” Santiago said.
She also expressed her opinion regarding water conservation and facing issues such as the ones the organization and people living in the colonia have gone through.
“This is one of the things [water] that we have to learn also, that there is something available, we cannot use as much as you know, exploit using,” Santiago said.
The 2022 Texas State Water Plan states that municipal water demand in the Rio Grande Valley will increase a total of 18% while potential shortages will jump to a 94% between the years of 2020 to 2030.
Now other areas in Mission, Peñitas, and La Joya under the use of Agua SUD continue with a Drought Contingency Plan which has been in effect since June 28 until further notice.
