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Gilbert Trejo has created a list of ambitious goals as El Paso Water’s newly named Vice President of Operations and Technical Services and intends to deliver on each one.

Interim Vice President Paul Rivas marveled at the opportunities he found at El Paso Water 38 years after he first donned a lab coat.

When water freezes, it expands in volume by nearly 10%, that extra pressure can result in broken water lines that lead to costly repairs and water leaks at your home or business.

For weeks, Jen Dixon often felt like a sitting duck on the verge of discovery as she gingerly went about her mission at El Paso Water’s Hawkins Administration Building.

Diligently crunching numbers behind the scenes, attention to detail counts when you are part of the El Paso Water’s award-winning Accounting Department.

Judging by the many spooky stories told by EPWater employees, the Hawkins building may be home to otherworldly spirits. Almost everyone has a story about the building, which was once a banking institution.

Construction projects to improve Fort Bliss water and stormwater infrastructure will soon break ground, thanks to a partnership with El Paso Water. The pact is the result of an Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) Fort Bliss signed last year that aims to save costs for the military installation.

Before you toss out unused or old medications from your medicine cabinet, make sure you’re doing it the right way.

For their dedication, EPWater honors employees of the utility’s accredited International Water Quality Laboratory during National Chemistry Week.

What do you think are the biggest water challenges and boldest water solutions for our community? El Paso Water convened 40+ community leaders to discuss these questions at a workshop hosted by non-profit 50L Home and Cummins Water Works.

Even in challenging situations, Customer Service employees value making connections with customers to resolve issues and concerns. For an abundance of patience and a willingness to provide assistance and go the extra mile,

El Paso Water boasts a growing list of service-minded employees who want to impact the world around them.

It was a long time coming, but El Paso Water employees presented their Charity of Choice – La Posada Home Inc. – with a check for $50,000 on Sept. 14 at the Public Service Board meeting.

El Paso Water’s Advanced Water Purification Facility was awarded $20 million in federal funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for water reuse projects, the Bureau of Reclamation announced Thursday.

El Paso Water’s Customer Service Department is in transition. A wage bump in June from $11 to $17 is jolting job seekers into giving the utility’s call center a second look.

The city conservation ordinance was 3 years old, and the new Water Conservation Manager dove right into new water utility rebate programs – toilet, landscape, washing machine, air conditioning.

After decades of wrangling with severe weather in the El Paso area, El Paso Water and the National Weather Service want to work together.

El Paso’s rainy season is in full swing. And while that means more moisture in the air, it also means more water on the streets and roadways.

El Paso Water’s TecH2O Learning Center wants to help El Paso’s young students and their parents become better water stewards by engaging in fun, free activities on conservation.

The desert heat was no surprise to a group of Egyptian visitors who toured the Sun City and El Paso Water facilities on June 8.

Gardeners in the Chihuahuan Desert are learning through a series of free workshops around El Paso that they can create lush, colorful landscapes using native, water-wise plants.

Excitement surged as Clardy Elementary School students filed quickly into the school’s auditorium for a special El Paso Water presentation. Some classrooms had prepared for the occasion by watching Willie the Waterdrop videos, so they knew what to expect.

The Certified Water Partner program was developed in 2017 to positively engage the business community, large entities and local government/non-profit institutions to raise awareness of water efficiency practices and reduce water consumption.

EPWater owns more than 70,000 acres in the Dell City area after purchasing land and water rights associated with the Bone Springs-Victorio Peak aquifer. The utility is committed to sustaining a viable agricultural community in the area and has invested in pilot programs to improve water efficiencies, President and CEO John Balliew said.

A survey by the American Water Works Association reports that 72% of 416 water utilities nationwide are facing difficulties obtaining materials and other infrastructure components.

Water education and family fun will be the focus of El Paso Water’s upcoming collaboration with the University of Texas at El Paso.

El Paso Water’s Customer Service Department is experiencing higher call volume than normal, resulting in longer wait times.

El Paso Water has announced the completion of the Sam Snead Recovery Project. The stormwater project addresses a major public safety concern in an area historically prone to flash flooding.

El Paso Girl Scouts are quenching their thirst for knowledge about water conservation, and earning a patch from the TecH2O Learning Center in the process.

Under January’s approved stormwater budget, EPWater announced it would accelerate planned projects and implement the full master plan within 10 years.

El Paso Water is a rare phenom in the water industry, as the utility’s female engineers in leadership continue to shatter barriers and build diversity.

El Paso’s Engineer of the Year Gilbert Trejo of El Paso Water has been learning about the water sector since he was 18 and cleaning canals in El Paso’s Lower Valley.

EPWater is implementing a multipronged river clean-up strategy with several partners to make sure that the Rio Grande and canals are ready for the new irrigation season.

The combined $877 million FY2022-23 budget will result in an increase of $6.37 a month on the typical residential bill beginning March 1, the start of the fiscal year.

Just days into the new year, crews began pumping wastewater into the newly replaced Frontera pipeline to the John T. Hickerson Water Reclamation Facility, which had been partially operating since August.

Nearly two years after the pandemic hit El Paso, the Carlos M. Ramirez TecH₂O Water Resources Learning Center remains closed to the public, but the educational outreach to students is flourishing.

A 9% increase in water rates, a 13% increase in wastewater rates and 9% increase in stormwater fees would help El Paso Water reinforce infrastructure overdue for upgrades and expand systems to sustain city growth, EPWater officials told the Public Service Board.

Standing firmly on 22 acres of land next to the U.S. Mexico border, the Roberto R. Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant is celebrating 30 years of operation.

Some of the hardest working insects in the world may also be the most intimidating, but that did not stop El Paso Water from saving a bee colony containing tens of thousands of honeybees.

During this season of spooky stories and spine-chilling encounters, it is only fitting that one El Paso Water employee shared his experiences of paranormal activity while working at the Robertson/Umbenhauer Water Treatment Plant, also known as Canal Plant, several years ago.

The rain events of July and August 2021 proved to be some of the most significant rain events in the history of our region. While many of El Paso’s stormwater structures held up during the heavy rainfall, the localized severity of the storms – particularly in Central El Paso -- overwhelmed and damaged many parts of the system.

El Paso Water maintains more than 2,300 miles of wastewater pipes citywide that carry used water from toilets, showers and sinks to treatment plants. When a major part of that system ruptured in West El Paso, the utility faced some critical decisions to protect public safety and health.

On a hot and humid day in early September, El Paso Water staff led representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) on a tour of several ponds and dams in Central El Paso.

This year’s monsoon season has brought intense rain events that have set records and drawn comparisons to the storm of 2006, and the season is not over yet. On August 12, part of Central El Paso received 3.2 inches of rain in one hour, equating to what the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classifies as a 230-year storm. The same area in 2006 received 1.5 inches of rain in one hour, falling into the category of a 100-year storm.

Recent storms have tested parts of El Paso’s stormwater system, revealing both improvements still needed and the effectiveness of completed projects, like the Silver Springs Arroyo Dam, that worked to reduce flooding and increase public safety.

As part of National Water Quality Month, EPWater reminds customers that our tap water is safe to drink. To access the highest quality water, it’s as easy as turning on your faucet.

As the city expands, El Paso Water continues to invest in infrastructure to keep up with demand. The utility is taking on a major project that will optimize the existing plant by improving the wastewater treatment process and increase the plant’s capacity, extending its lifespan by 30 years.

There’s no doubt about it -- monsoon season is officially upon us. Beginning on June 27, a series of heavy rainstorms blanketed the borderland for several days, putting much of the city’s stormwater infrastructure to the test.

Millions of gallons of water travel through our desert city every day to ensure customers can open faucets, flush toilets, and maintain landscapes -- simple tasks that typically do not require a second thought. At El Paso Water, every employee carries the large responsibility of serving our community with the common goal of enhancing the vitality of El Paso.

Last month, Stormwater Division Manager Gisela Dagnino was appointed to the state’s first Regional Flood Planning Group for the Upper Rio Grande Region, a group charged with identifying specific flood risks and strategies to improve public safety and reduce damages caused by flooding.

The pipelines connecting the two facilities, called the Frontera Force Mains, carry millions of gallons of wastewater from approximately 150,000 residential and commercial customers on El Paso’s westside every day to be treated at the Hickerson Plant.

Spring is a time for growth and opportunity when we shake off the cold of winter and embrace warmer temperatures. In El Paso, it is also the time of year when our most precious resource is in high demand.

When a $209,000 check from El Paso Electric (EPE) arrived for energy efficiency improvements at the Jonathan Rogers Water Treatment Plant, it was a pleasant surprise – but one that involved nearly five years of coordination between EPWater and EPE.

El Paso Water has presented a $10,000 check to the University of Texas at El Paso and announced a new student research program established in honor of former utility President and CEO Ed Archuleta, who served for 24 years in that role and is recognized nationally for bold initiatives to build a sustainable water supply for El Paso.

The Will Ruth Pond is a vast stormwater project designed to collect over 114 million gallons of stormwater from nearby streets to prevent it from flowing into downstream neighborhoods. The project is a critical component of the EPWater stormwater plan to improve public safety, and it has not been without its share of challenges.

Continued drought has impacted the water supply El Paso receives from the Rio Grande. The city’s growth is also a factor in EPWater’s long-term water management planning to ensure the community has water for the future.

The planning process never stops for El Paso Water to secure a reliable water supply for future generations. The utility plays a leadership role in shaping the Far West Texas Water Plan, a 50-year regional water resources management plan that must be updated every five years, as required by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).

A year of challenges was also a year of accomplishments for El Paso Water, as we successfully adapted our business practices to continue to provide reliable water, wastewater and stormwater services to customers.

The Sunset Heights Pump Station and Reservoir is made up of two tanks with the capability of holding up to eight million gallons of water.

A 2% increase in both water and wastewater rates will help rehabilitate El Paso Water’s aging infrastructure and expand systems for city growth. President and CEO John Balliew and staff members presented the utility’s proposed Fiscal Year 2021-22 Water/Wastewater and Stormwater budgets to the Public Service Board on Nov. 30.

Sending fats, oils, and greases down your drain can causes blockages in pipes.

El Paso Water wants to help you conserve water and at the same time save money. More time indoors means do-it-yourself home improvement projects are on the rise.

Residents of a Lower Valley community are once again welcoming the feel and smell of freshly watered grass at Thomas Manor Park after a recent transformation that will benefit the surrounding neighborhoods.

El Paso Water launched the design of a new project to take treated Rio Grande water during plentiful years and use it to recharge a local aquifer.

On Monday April 20, six homes connected to the new Montana Vista Wastewater System, which will bring first-time wastewater service to nearly 800 homes in a first phase.

Shady, colorful desert plants dot landscapes across the city, where large, water-wasting lawns are no longer the standard. For nearly 30 years, El Pasoans have been doing their part to conserve our most precious resource in the Chihuahuan Desert.

With the shortage of toilet paper due to the coronavirus outbreak, many people are turning to wipes and paper towels instead. Disinfection wipes are used in every household as people try to sanitize anything and everything 24/7. But before you try to flush them down the toilet, heed this warning: there is no such thing as a flushable wipe.

EPWater invests money in state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, tests water continuously through all phases of treatment and distribution to the customer, and ensures employees receive training in the leading water quality practices and technologies.

Companies selling home filtration systems may allege that El Paso tap water is unsafe to drink. But El Pasoans have every reason to be confident in their tap water quality.

At EPWater, more and more women are now working in positions traditionally held by men.

Residents along Sam Snead Drive in El Paso are looking forward to improved flood control as El Paso Water overhauls the stormwater system in the Pico Norte area.

Customers usually know exactly what they’re getting for their money when they receive a bill. Most can glance at the pump for the price of gas, look at a list of items at the grocery checkout or they know how much data is in their phone plan. But do you know what you’re getting for your monthly El Paso Water bill?

For decades, employees have been sharing ghost stories of the multiple sightings reported at the Robertson/Umbenhauer Plant – dubbed the Canal Plant by locals.

El Paso Water is one step closer to building the Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF) after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded the utility a $3.5 million grant through the congressionally-authorized Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects.

When the Rio Grande stopped flowing last fall, employees of the Jonathan Rogers Water Treatment Plant took advantage to do some major work to the four Archimedes screw pumps at the facility.

EPWater crews work on El Paso’s stormwater system year-round. So when storm events occur, they are available to respond quickly to public requests to pump water and remove debris. The illegally-dumped trash not only slows down the process, but it also hurts the system.

Over the past three decades, El Paso Water has partnered with industrial businesses to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the wastewater system. Setting standards for what enters the system helps the utility control the treatment process and guarantees that water released to the Rio Grande will positively contribute to the natural ecosystem.

“I think it’s very exciting for El Pasoans to know that what we’re doing here in El Paso is going to change the water industry,” Gilbert Trejo, Chief Technical Officer, said. “The water community knows and understands that these treatment processes treat the water and produce a very high-quality water."