Brownsville PUB’s Southmost water plant receives $5 million infrastructure grant

Vicente Gonzalez (Courtesy: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez/Facebook)

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced $5.03 million in funding to expand and upgrade the Brownsville Public Utilities Board’s brackish groundwater treatment facility in Southmost.

Gonzalez, D-Brownsville, said the funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which he supported in 2021 during the Biden Administration.

However, the funding is on hold due to the Trump Administration’s executive order freezing federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Should the funding eventually become available, Gonzalez said it would be used to improve PUB’s Southmost groundwater treatment facility and reduce regional reliance on dwindling surface water supplies.

“Investments like these will support the continued growth of our region as we grapple with severe drought and water supply issues,” he stated in a news release.

“This notice of funding opportunity is a significant milestone that brings our region one step closer to drought resiliency by reducing our dependence on the Rio Grande River. We greatly appreciate Congressman Gonzalez’s support and his tireless efforts are the reason we have secured this funding. We look forward to moving ahead with this critical project for the future of the Southern Rio Grande Valley,” said Dr. Joseph L. Hollman, president of the Southmost Regional Water Authority.

With the funding, BPUB is slated to construct two new wells and reconstruct 20 existing groundwater wells to increase their productivity and facility’s capacity by 4,820 acre-feet per year. The project will also make upgrades to the microfiltration, RO technology, electrical and instrumentation, and chemical storage and dosing systems, which help remove any contaminants present, the release stated.

The post Brownsville PUB’s Southmost water plant receives $5 million infrastructure grant appeared first on MyRGV.com.