Frontera NorteSur June 2000

Anne Marie Mackler, FNS Editor

Cd. Juárez Greatest Source of Pollution for Rio Bravo/Grande

Throughout the Rio Bravo/Grande river basin of more than 3,000 kilometers (nearly 2,000 miles), Cd. Juárez is the only major urban/industrialized area that continues to dump untreated water into the river. However, two water treatment plants are in the planning stages.

The black industrial waters that continue to flow through the city serving ten thousand acres of agricultural land contains harmful elements that exceed health and habitation requirements. Additionally, as it passes through farmland, the river water picks up even more pollution with the chemical fertilizers and pesticides commonly used.

Most of the clear waters from snow drainage pass through Colorado and New Mexico, and by the time the river hits the border ,the pollution is pooled into the Caballo Lake and Elephant Butte in southern New Mexico.

Source: El Diario

Pollution in Cd. Juárez Is Overwelming

The air, land and water pollution in Cd. Juárez have reached alarming rates, and the report that was given to the city on April 22, Earth Day, was "not encouraging," according to El Diario. "We have problems in all areas," said Alma Leticia Figueroa Jiménez, director of the city's civil and environmental protection department.

The city, with more than 1.6 million people, has only one source of water, the Hueco Bolson, which is being used to its capacity, and although studies are still in progress, Figueroa believes that the bolson may only last 20 to 25 more years. However, El Paso authorities have estimted only five more years. "The depletion of the natural resources is our major concern, and without a doubt, water is the greatest concern for the authorities."

Additionally, the city accumulates ten thousand tons of trash every week, has more than 400 illegal dumps and at least 500,000 vehicles driving in the city, and as of March 31, only 62 thousand of them had received their environmental approvals.

"It is small, but the program is developing, and we are certifying about 20,000 cars a month," said Luis Carlos Salmerón Guerrero, director of the Environmental Testing for the city's enironmental department. "The city is growing and cars are a major source of air pollution." Salmerón also attributed pollution probelms to weather conditions and an overall increase in activity in the border city.

According to Figueroa, there are also millions of used tires polluting the city, and Cd. Juárez is lacking 80 percent of the green areas the population needs.

Source: El Diario