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Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico: Wastewater Collection System Expansion Project

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Project Location and Description

EPA is considering authorizing the award of a Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) grant to the City of Agua Prieta, Sonora, for construction of wastewater collection lines to serve existing communities in the southeastern sector of the community that lack adequate wastewater treatment and disposal. A project to provide collection service to residents in the southwestern, and southernmost sectors of Agua Prieta has also been proposed but has not yet received consideration for EPA funding. Agua Prieta, a municipality comprised of more than 75,000 people, is located in the northeastern part of the State of Sonora, Mexico, on the U.S./Mexico border, adjacent to the town of Douglas, Arizona.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

The purpose of the proposed action is to address the environmental and public health risks associated with inadequate collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater. The proposed action will protect public health by providing appropriate wastewater collection to 7,000 residents that rely on cesspools or open ditches for wastewater disposal (an additional 13,000 will receive service if funds become available for the project in southwest and southernmost Agua Prieta). The proposed action consists of extending the wastewater collection system network to parts of the southeast of Agua Prieta that currently lack access to these services. The project consists of installing about 70,000 linear meters of wastewater collection (sewer) lines ranging from 8 to 14 inches (20 to 38 centimeters) in diameter, plus six inch connections. Raw wastewater generated by these communities is estimated at about three hundred and forty thousand gallons per day (15 liters per second). All wastewater collected by the new sewer lines will be treated at the existing Agua Prieta wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This WWTP provides secondary treatment prior to discharge to the Rio Agua Prieta. The proposed action will significantly reduce or eliminate the use of inadequate wastewater disposal practices by providing collection service and conveying flows to an existing wastewater treatment plant, resulting in improved environmental and sanitation conditions.

EPA's involvement in the Agua Prieta, Sonora project is part of a national commitment to improve environmental conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border. EPA participates in the development and implementation of water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects in coordination with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) and the North American Development Bank (NADBank)  Exiting EPA (disclaimer).BECC is responsible for certifying projects so that they comply with sound technical, environmental, financial, and public participation principles. NADBank administers the BEIF grants for projects that have been certified by BECC and approved by EPA.

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), EPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzes the potential transboundary environmental impacts of the proposed actions in southeastern and southwester/southernmost Agua Prieta. After considering a wide range of regulatory, environmental (both natural and human) and socio-economic factors, the EA did not identify any significant impacts to the environment that would result from the implementation of the proposed wastewater collection system expansions. The EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) are being made available for public review for a 30-day comment period that ends on March 5, 2007. Interested persons, including those who disagree with this proposal, may submit written comments to EPA Region 9.

To view the EA or FNSI, please click on the links below.

Contact Information

For further information about these documents, contact:

Thomas Konner (konner.thomas@epa.gov)
U.S. EPA Region 9 (WTR-4)
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA  94105
Phone:  (415) 972-3555
Fax: (415) 947-3537

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