Due to the Rio Grande Valley’s severe drought and water shortage, which Mexico’s failure to provide water is exacerbated, Hidalgo County Commissioners have extended a catastrophe charter.
The attempt that Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez issued last week was unanimously approved by commissioners on Tuesday evening.
According to the plan material voted by directors, a lack of rain in the border region and a lack of water bills from Mexico have resulted in “exceptional drought conditions, which pose a danger of immediate crisis.”
A treaty from 1944 requires Mexico to spend the United States a lot of fluids during each five-year water period. But, four years into the present period, and Mexico has scarcely paid one year’s worth of water to the United States, according to statistics by the International Boundary and Water Commission, which oversees the Rio Grande.
500 jobs in the area were lost as a result of a 51-year-old honey machine shutting down in remote Hidalgo County earlier this year due to a lack of water. It was the only sugar factory in Texas, and it was the only one of only three other ones in operation.
Because lemon crops require a lot of fluids, citrus farmers worry that their business could suffer the most.
This announcement puts us in a position where we can reimburse those who qualify for disaster-like financial loss. And without it, no. We are in a challenging position right now. There are no too many win in this situation. We’re dealing with trying to alleviate the loss, ” Cortez said.
Regional water districts will now begin putting their emergency policies into practice now that the disaster declaration is in place.
Local residents may quickly experience significant garden watering restrictions, but local officials insist that municipal water should not be affected.
According to Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner David Fuentes,” We have to take action to try to defend the water resources we have as well as to keep investing in new ways to create water.”
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport. web.
