Paranormal encounters at Canal Plant

Paranormal encounters at Canal Plant
Posted on 10/11/2021
Plant Superintendent Ruben Montes at the Canal Plant

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.

Superintendent Ruben Montes was a guest on Brown and Caldwell’s podcast, Engineering Legends: Haunted Waters, to share what he has seen and felt. Montes is not alone, he also told stories of other colleagues’ encounters.

When he started working at Canal Plant, he was immediately warned about possible ghost sightings. “They told me that there were stories about people seeing things at the plant and just to keep an eye out for it, said Montes. “I really didn’t pay much attention to it, but later, I went through an experience.”

Graveyard shift

The term ‘graveyard shift’ alone is eerie. Now imagine working overnight hours at one of the oldest water plants in El Paso situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, in a historic neighborhood. Montes had to obtain a meter reading at about 1:00 a.m., a routine task during the shift. As he made his way down to station one, he felt someone was watching him.

“I looked out the corner of my eye, and I actually saw somebody sitting on a pipe,” said Montes.

“I just got the meter reading and turned around and headed out. I wasn’t going to investigate any further.”

It would not be the last experience for Montes.

A believer

Canal PlantMontes always believed there were spiritual beings among us, but his experiences through the years have cemented that belief. There is some comfort in knowing that nothing has ever happened to any employees while working. Montes likes to think there are good spirits roaming through Canal Plant.

“Sometimes things happen that we don’t have an explanation for, so people would just say, it’s the ghost, it’s the ghost,” said Montes with a smile. “We blame it on the ghost.”

To listen to other stories that Ruben shared on the podcast episode, click here.

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