EPA and Partners Celebrate Groundbreaking for Drinking Water Projects in Vinton, Texas

Media contact: Jennah Durant at r6press@epa.gov or 214 665-2200

DALLAS (Jan. 27, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the North American Development Bank (NADBank) and the Village of Vinton, Texas, and other partners at a groundbreaking ceremony for two projects that will provide new drinking water distribution and wastewater collection to improve public health and water quality. The total estimated project costs of both projects is $30.33 million.

These projects are receiving a total of $6.5 million in grants from the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF), which is funded by EPA and administered by NADBank. Other funding support was made available through the US Department of Agriculture-Rural Development and the Texas Water Development Board. These projects also serve as an example of similar work in communities across Texas that will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the near future.

“Every community deserves access to clean water and a reliable wastewater system,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “EPA is proud to fund this project to help keep the residents of Vinton safe and thriving. We look forward to working with additional communities to build capacity in their water infrastructure through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

The new drinking water system will include the installation of water distribution lines, meters, and a regional storage tank. It will increase access to safe and reliable drinking water services for more than 360 households by replacing the current substandard small water systems to provide access to a fully compliant water source and eliminate exposure to arsenic and pathogenic organisms present in the current water supply. The estimated total project cost is $10.6 million.

“Rural communities across Texas are taking the initiative to ensure they have the water they need, not only for today, but also for the future,” said Kathleen Jackson, Board Member of the Texas Water Development Board. “I applaud the Village of Vinton and congratulate them on moving these impactful infrastructure projects forward. The Village’s continued leadership and engagement is key to the success of Texas and to providing reliable water and wastewater services for future generations!”

The new wastewater collection system will provide first-time services for 506 existing homes and the decommissioning of on-site wastewater disposal systems. This will eliminate discharges of 275,000 gallons per day of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater from residential, commercial and industrial sources. The Village of Vinton will own the collection system infrastructure, including a local lift station, and El Paso Water will operate and maintain the system. The estimated total project costs are US$19.7 million.

“These two projects that are starting today represent the joint efforts of local, state and federal entities working together to provide the required funding to make possible access to quality water and wastewater services to small communities such as Vinton,” stated NADBank Managing Director Calixto Mateos Hanel. “The Bank was pleased to play a role in these infrastructure projects to benefit this community.”

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