Nogales Water and Wastewater Collection Project moving forward

The purpose of the meeting was to inform the Nogales community about the project´s benefits, technical features, and financial scope. The project consists of expanding the existing water and wastewater collection systems to the southwest area of Nogales. The project has an estimated cost of US $10.48 million and will benefit a population of 16,701 and eliminate about 930,000 gallons per day of untreated water discharges.

Currently, six southwest Colonias of Nogales do not have drinking water and wastewater collection services. The unserved area receives drinking water by hauled water service and bulk purchase with self-storage, and relies on latrines and cesspools to dispose of wastewater that is a potential source for underground water contamination.

The project was approved by the BECC-NADB Board of Directors in November 2016. The water utility in Nogales, Sonora, will receive a US$5.3 million Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and US$5.2 million from the National Water Commission (CONAGUA). 

The project will benefit the following subdivisions: Luis Donaldo Colosio, Flores Magon, Las Torres, Las Praderas, Las Primaveras, Jardines de la Montaña, and El Rastro. The project will include transmission lines, lateral lines, looping system and 2,350 residential drinking water hook-ups, in addition to 3,506 household wastewater connections, sewer lines, subcollectors, collectors, manhole s and an extension (1.5 miles) of the Tecnologico Collector Main.

By implementing this project that includes the introduction of wastewater services, the City, through the local water utility, will benefit households in 137 streets from the Jardines de la Montaña and Luis Donaldo Colosio subdivisions, with 35.71 kilometers of wastewater collection lines, said Mauro Corrales, General Manager of the OOMAPAS utility.

BECC representative Gerardo Calza and Antonio Trivizo of the NADB, explained the project and how it meets the certification and financing criteria established by the two institutions. Both stated that this meeting attended by hundreds of vulnerable residents of the benefitted areas was a success.

City Mayor Cuauhtemoc Galindo believes these projects are of utmost importance and "are an indication that we are on the right track, considering that once the introduction of the wastewater collection and water lines is completed, the City expects to resurface the benefitted streets with new pavement, as the idea is to keep the comprehensive program moving forward,” the Mayor said.