AUSTIN — Today, the Texas Water Development Board approved an interest free loan in the amount of $8,285,000 to the City of Mission under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance water system improvements.

The City of Mission will use these funds to upgrade its water treatment plant by replacing and upgrading two aging treatment units from the downtown water treatment plant in order to meet enhanced surface water treatment rules.

The city will also further increase treatment capacity by making improvements to components of the north water treatment plant which will increase the city's daily water treatment capacity by 25% to 25 million gallons.

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa commented on the value of these projects to the City of Mission.

"I am truly pleased to see the response from the Texas Water Development Board in addressing this request from the City of Mission. Not only will these projects accommodate Mission's continued population growth, but the upgrading of these water treatment facilities ensure clean drinking water will flow to the families that live in Mission," Senator Hinojosa said.

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