Desalination Plant Cover Up |
 |
Letter to PSB May 4, 2009
Dear Dr. Hutchison,
Fort Bliss holds the deed to the desalination plant. The PSB holds a non binding memorandum of agreement, which Fort Bliss can cancel with thirty days notice (note 1), and a right-of-entry, which Fort Bliss can revoke at will (note 2). Yet the PSB claims that they are the rightful owner of the plant.
The plant was a gift to the US Army to entice the Base Realignment and Closure Commission to expand Fort Bliss. The cost of the gift is buried in the water bills of El Paso citizens. Citizens are forced to pay for the gift or the PSB will cut off their water.
The PSB told citizens that the desalination plant would put an end to the myth that El Paso has a water shortage. The PSB says that "The desalination facilities increase El Paso Water Utilities' fresh water production by approximately 25%, based on current demand" (note 3). The desalination plant would have to run at 89% of capacity (24.375 MGD) to produce 25% of 97.5 MGD average daily demand for El Paso water customers (Note 4). It is rumored that the plant is operating at only 13% of capacity (note6).
If the plant produces 24.375 MGD (89% of capacity) for El Paso customers, it can only produce 3.125 MGD (11% of capacity) for Fort Bliss. Fort Bliss would have to supply the plant with 12 MGD of "moderately fresh" water (note 5) in exchange for 3.125 MGD of fresh water. Alternatively, Fort Bliss can revoke the right-of-entry and keep the plant.
How much water is the plant currently producing for your water customers? I have made five request for this information but you have failed to respond. Please tell me the year to date average daily production. This information is requested under the freedom of information act and the Texas open records act.
Reply from PSB May 11, 2009
Mr. Janacek,
This is the response: 3.63mgd.
Email to PSB May 11, 2009
May I respectfully ask why the plant is operating at only 13% of capacity? Dr. Hutchison told the Brackish Groundwater Conference in November that it was because production costs were very expensive ($534 acre/foot). However, that was a known fact when the investment was justified on the assumption that it would run at 80% of capacity. It seems unlikely that you reduced production because you were surprised by the cost.
Reply from PSB May 11, 2009
Mr. Janacek,
This is not a Public Information Act request. This office has no records responsive to your question.
Conclusion
El Paso feared a water shortage in the mid 1990's. The BRAC Commission moved troops away from Fort Bliss, a blow to the El Paso economy. The PSB invested over $100 Million13 in a desalination plant and learning center on Fort Bliss property. The PSB buried the cost in water bills to El Paso Citizens. Citizens were forced to pay for the plant or the PSB would cut off their water.
Construction began on the same day the BRAC Commission announced plans to expand Fort Bliss.2 Fort Bliss will triple in size by 2012.7 By then, 90,000 additional Soldiers and Family Members will call Fort Bliss home. 7 The expansion of Fort Bliss has been a tremendous boost to the El Paso economy, paid for by unsuspecting El Paso water customers.
The desalination plant has the capacity to produce 27.5 MGD but that would require 12 MDG of moderately fresh5 blend water from Fort Bliss. If the plant ran at full capacity, it would deplete Fort Bliss fresh water reserves.
Therefore the plant produces only 3.63 MGD. The desalination plant was a gift to the DOD paid for by unsuspecting El Paso water customers. It stimulated the El Paso economy, but did nothing to alleviate the water shortage for El Paso Citizens. An easement signed by PSB on July 22, 2009 provides that Fort Bliss can kick PSB off the base upon 30 days notice.14
Citizens are left with the impression that the water shortage has been solved but future PSB management must spend $630 Million8 to import water, if they can overcome legal obstacles.11,12 Current PSB management has acquired $757 Million9 worth of new assets but water production has gone down by 6%.10 They will leave behind $450 Million of debt.9
The purpose of the PSB is to manage El Paso's water system for the benefit of El Paso citizens. However the PSB is composed of businessmen who are more interested in stimulating the El Paso economy. They proceed on the notion that the end justifies the means.
note 1: Memorandum of agreement March 7, 2005,A4.1
note 2: Immediate Right-of-Entry No. DACA63-9-05-0535 DATED May 11, 2005
note 3: http://www.epwu.org/water/desal_info.html
note 4: http://www.epwu.org/water/water_stats1.html
note 5: Government Engineering May-June 2006http://www.govengr.com/ArticlesMay06/desalination.pdf
note 6: El Paso Times 5/4/2009 http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_12281205
note 7: https://www.bliss.army.mil/Garrison/sites/local/
note 8: Letter from the PSB dated February 13, 2008
note9:http://www.epwu.org/financial/reports/2008/CAFR_08_stats.pdf ScheduleA4
note10: http://www.epwu.org/financial/reports/2008/CAFR_08_stats.pdf Schedule B-4
note 11: http://www.epwu.org/water/water_resources.html
note12:https://www.citizensmakethecall.com/restricted/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/EPWU_031908_PG2.pdf
note13:https://www.citizensmakethecall.com/restricted/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/Note16.pdf
Note 14: Department of the Army: Easement for Desalination Plant
