Toward improving water security for border communities, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) joined several of his Texas colleagues in urging the North American Development Bank (NADBank) to re-establish its Water Infrastructure Fund.
“The need for sustainable water management in the U.S.-Mexico border region is greater than ever,” wrote the lawmakers in an Oct. 7 bipartisan letter sent to NADBank board members. “Re-establishing the fund would be a significant step in ensuring long-term water security for both municipal and agricultural communities.”
As it did in previous years, NADBank should use funding from retained earnings to provide concessional financing, such as grants or subsidized loans, for water conservation and diversification projects, wrote Rep. Gonzales and his six colleagues, who included U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).
“This investment is essential to the well-being of our American municipalities and agricultural projects, and we fully support the bank’s role in overseeing and implementing the fund to ensure these resources are allocated effectively,” according to their letter.
The lawmakers also pointed out that any grant funding re-established through the program must be directed to both municipal and agricultural projects, which should not only conserve water, but also explore new ways to create additional water sources in the border region.
In doing so, they suggested, NADBank can address the urgent need for water security on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We are confident that the re-establishment of the Water Infrastructure Fund will greatly benefit both sides of the border, ensuring that our communities have the water resources they need for the future,” the lawmakers wrote.
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