[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15671]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING 20 YEARS OF WATER CONSERVATION IN EL PASO

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                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2011

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 20th anniversary of 
Water Conservation Day in El Paso. I also want to honor the truly 
remarkable turnaround El Paso has achieved in reducing water use and 
preventing the depletion of the Hueco Bolson aquifer.
  In 1991, with one of El Paso's main water sources predicted to run 
dry within 36 years, the goal was to reduce the 200 gallons used by 
each person everyday by 20 percent. Today, average usage stands at 133 
gallons per person, and, despite a population increase of 200,000 
people since 1991, El Paso uses 1.6 percent less than 20 years ago.
  El Paso's Water Conservation Ordinance has provided guidelines and 
schedules for water usage for two decades, and resulted in over 231 
billion gallons of water saved from waste and has also halted the over-
drafting of fresh water from the Hueco Bolson aquifer, the main water 
source for the city.
  El Paso's initiative succeeded for several reasons. The Water 
Conservation Department offered incentives to lower daily water usage 
by offering high-efficiency toilets and implementing a progressive 
seasonal rate structure. Rebates were offered for water-efficient 
washing machines and central refrigeration systems. In addition, 
185,000 efficient shower heads, 9,000 evaporative cooler bleed-off line 
clamps, and 170 waterless urinals were provided at no cost to improve 
efficiency. Thousands of residents also eliminated their grass lawns 
through the Turf Rebate Programs, saving El Paso 894 million gallons 
annually of water. These efforts combine to conserve over 3.6 billion 
gallons of water annually.
  In addition to these measures, El Pasoans use 2.1 billion of 
reclaimed water annually, a water source that is unaffected by drought, 
and awareness campaigns have encouraged El Pasoans to conserve water. 
In two decades, El Paso was able to coordinate a series of programs to 
achieve its goal of averting a water shortage, while dramatically 
reducing consumer demand and saving $460 million in the process by 
deferring the expansion of water facilities. The El Paso Water 
Utilities desalination plant has helped provide water especially in the 
most recent drought we are experiencing, and has become a main source 
of water for the city. It treats 27 million gallons of water daily, 
making it the largest inland plant in the world.
  El Paso is serious about water conservation, and I am proud to 
represent a community that works together to protect and conserve our 
precious resources.

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