Scarce water in the area border community continues to be a hot topic in local government. A binational water conference focusing on underground water shared between El Paso, Juarez, and southern New Mexico was held on May 7 and 15 at the University of Texas at El Paso. The event was sponsored by UTEP's Center for environmental Resource Management and funding provided by the Ford foundation.
The conference title, "Shared Groundwater, the Hueco Bolson: Binational Needs and Responsibilities" denotes the importance of the local bolsons which supply 1/3 of El Paso's water and all of Juarez'.
Chihuahua Governor Francisco Barrio addressed the group as well as Mexican congressman Miguel Lucero Palma. Palma is a member of the commission responsible for rewriting Mexico's ecological laws.
Franco Barreno, Chairman of El Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Juarez explained his participation in the conference and its importance saying, "our objective is to identify gaps in our knowledge. [It] is incredible. we share the bolson, but until a few years ago there was very little information exchanged between the cities."
The day after the first meeting, the El Paso Public Service Board (PSB) voted to spend $100,000 on a project with the U.S. Geological Survey to map out the bolson. The PSB hopes this will give area residents a better idea of when the bolson will run out and what its recharge rate may be. Current data projects the bolson will be dry in 2025. The four year project will cost $1.2 million. The PSB hopes other agencies will get involved and help with the bill. Fort Bliss is asking for money in its next budget to participate in the study.
Juarez officials had shown interest in joining the study but federal government authorities in Mexico City, who control Mexico's water strategy, said no. They prefer to do their own study on the Mexican side of the bolson. The PSB is still discussing the matter with Mexican officials.
Sources: David Sheppard, El Paso Times