Udall, Heinrich Announce $9 Million in Water and Waste Infrastructure Improvements for Colonias in Southern NM
WASHINGTON – November 10, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced more than $9 million in grants and loans for the Garfield Mutual Domestic Water Consumers and Sewage Works Association and La Luz Mutual Domestic Water Consumers and Mutual Sewer Works Association to build and improve water and wastewater infrastructure for colonias in Southern New Mexico.
La Luz Mutual Domestic Water Consumers and Mutual Sewer Works Association will receive a $1,787,100 grant and a $414,000 loan to fund upgrades to their distribution system, including replacing aging water lines and building a new surface water treatment plant to treat additional runoff from La Luz Creek. The upgrades will help improve services for roughly 700 accounts and provide a reliable and safe water delivery system for the community at reasonable rates.
Colonias are mostly unincorporated, low-income communities along New Mexico’s southern border, and many of the communities lack adequate housing, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. In the past seven years, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $1.5 billion in New Mexico.
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