Sustainability

Environmental Stewardship

At El Paso Water, stewardship is a core value. We recognize the important role the utility plays to preserve and protect our lands and water resources.

Our future water supply

Through diversification, EPWater is meeting the challenge of supplying water to our growing desert community. We participate in regional water planning and have developed a 50-year water plan. In addition to the Rio Grande and two aquifers, future water supplies will include expanded desalination, expanded aquifer storage and recharge, advanced water purification and importation. Learn more

Conservation

Since 1991, when the Water Conservation Ordinance was adopted, our per capita water use decreased by more than 35% from about 205 gallons per consumer per day (GPCD) to 129GPCD. EPWater offers a variety of conservation programs, including education, audits, rebates and more to help customers save water. Learn more.

Open space preservation

EPWater manages thousands of acres of land and associated water rights. We sell land not needed for facilities or watershed management, but both are needed to ensure smart and sustainable growth. We purchase open space with a stormwater function to reduce flood risk, and we partner with the City and non-profits to provide more recreational opportunities by granting the use of our lands for trailhead sites. Learn more.

Biosolids management

EPWater has four wastewater treatment plants that produce sludge as a byproduct of the treatment process. The plants have a combined total of about 90,000 wet tons of dewatered sludge per year that is managed and disposed of. EPWater is working with local university researchers on solutions to reduce volumes of sludge that will reduce landfill trips. Additionally, EPWater is working on a pilot project to produce commercial-grade fertilizer from biosolids.

Energy efficiency and renewable

In 2017, EPWater adopted an Energy Management Master Plan. New power meters are producing valuable data to trend and benchmark plant processes. A pump testing pilot program reveals pumps in need of maintenance or replacement to improve energy efficiency. A feasibility study is also in the works on the best options for renewable energy at our plants.

Partnerships - Natural resource management

EPWater partners with regional colleges and universities on research projects to pursue innovations to protect and preserve natural resources. Joint projects with UTEP, NMSU and Texas A&M Agrilife among others have involved a range of innovations, such as improving reverse osmosis systems, membranes and electrodialysis for improved desalination.

Odor reduction

To be responsive to neighbor concerns, EPWater has made a series of odor control improvements over the last decade at its wastewater treatment plants. At the Haskell plant, improvements resulted in a 75% decrease in number of neighbors affected by odors. A similar project was completed at the Hickerson plant. EPWater was one of the first utilities in the U.S. to use a super-oxygenation system at its Frontera lift station in 2014 with positive results with many other utilities following suit.

Environmental compliance

EPWater is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. EPWater performs more than 300,000 water quality tests annually to demonstrate compliance. Results are reported to TCEQ and shared with customers in our annual Consumer Confidence Report. The utility also maintains pretreatment standards for inflows into our wastewater treatment plants. The utility holds state permits to discharge treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants and follow regulations for the disposal of biosolids.

Social Responsibility

EPWater values our customers and our community. A large part of achieving sustainability is to offer support, education and engagement for our customers and employees. 

Customer Assistance Programs

EPWater is always seeking new solutions to ease the burden on those who are most vulnerable. Through partnerships with local non-profits, EPWater offers several affordability options to our customers. Learn more.

Community engagement

EPWater proactively engages our customers through our Citizen’s Academy, construction outreach programs, speakers bureau, tours, events and more. The utility provides a quarterly briefing to City Council and participates in the Borderplex Alliance, the El Paso Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber and other organizations that share a vision for a thriving El Paso community. Learn more.

Water education

In our Chihuahuan Desert city, we want our community to understand our water resources and appreciate the importance of conservation. EPWater’s TecH2O Learning Center houses museum-quality exhibits and reaches thousands of students and adults every year through virtual and in-person workshops, field trips and other programs. Learn more.

Employee giving

  • Charity of Choice – EPWater employees each year choose to focus on helping one local charity. Employees host fundraising events on personal time and give their time, money and talent to show their spirit of service and make a big impact for the given non-profit.
  • United Way – EPWater employees generously pledge to donate funds from their paychecks to support United Way and its network of non-profits that help meet basic community needs.

Colonias

EPWater actively pursues grant funding to help unincorporated communities get first-time water and/or wastewater services.

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