EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso Water said its stormwater plan is almost half done; however, it said the price keeps going up and time goes by.
On Wednesday, EPWater held a press conference at the Will Ruth Pond in Northeast El Paso– the utility’s largest stormwater project to share updates regarding the utility’s stormwater projects aimed at mitigating flooding across the city.
Gilbert Trejo, EPWater’s vice president of operations and technical services, said the utility has made progress in multiple areas but emphasized that more work remains.
Gilbert Trejo, EPWater’s vice president of operations and technical services. July 29, 2026. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4
“The message to our customers and to El Paso throughout is there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Trejo said. “We’ve done a lot of work in Central El Paso with the gateway ponds, with the Magnolia pump station to ensure that the flooding along I-10 is vastly reduced… We did a lot of work in Northwest El Paso along the Arroyos, and those Arroyo’s are very steep and that water comes off the mountains very quickly. Done work in East El Paso and are doing work right now, planned work along I-10 and Joe Battle where the Student Activity Center pond projects are currently being designed and soon will be in construction. So we’ve touched major projects all over town, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
Before: Arroyo 1 in Northwest El Paso. Credit: EPWater
After: Arroyo 1 in Northwest El Paso. Credit: EPWater
Trejo said EPWater has completed about half of the projects so far and that it could take the utility more than 20 years to finish the full slate of work.
Trejo also addressed rising costs for the stormwater program, saying estimates have increased from $650 million in 2009 to $875 million now.
Trejo attributed the increase to inflation and to EPWater identifying additional projects.
“The cost of the project just keeps going up,” Trejo said. “As we’re seeing through inflation and through everything going on with world events, the longer we wait to do projects, the more they cost.”
“I think the other thing I’ll mention right now about the fee is that this fee on everyone’s bills, every dollar goes into the stormwater system,” Trejo said.
When asked whether rates could rise as project costs increase, Trejo said affordability remains a priority.
“So affordability is front of mind to us. So for me to say that they can expect, they will expect the rates to go up. No, I won’t say that because there are ways to do these projects and to do them within what we have,” Trejo said.
RELATED: Will Ruth Pond takes shape in Northeast El Paso, with first phase wrapping this fall
Trejo acknowledged frustration over how long some projects have taken and pushed back on what it calls “misconceptions” about why– despite the projects– residents may still see water flowing through city streets during heavy rains.
“Water is supposed to be on the streets despite what many El Pasoans will say,” Trejo said. “Putting water and taking it underground into pipes actually creates more problems because all that water has trash.”
Trejo said debris can block pipes and ponds if stormwater is routed underground, while water flowing through streets is easier to clean up.
Trejo called street flow a “good strategy,” while also acknowledging it can create hazards.
“It does disrupt traffic flow, and it is dangerous, but we just ask our customers and El Pasoans, as they see water on the street, it’s gonna flow by, let it flow by. Please be patient, protect your families, protect yourself,” Trejo said.
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