AUSTIN — Today, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved $900,000 in financial assistance for the Cyndie Park 2 Water Supply Corporation in Nueces County to finance the planning, design, and construction of water distribution improvements. After several years of Cyndie Park 2 residents drinking unsafe water, these monies will be used to reduce arsenic levels and provide clean drinking water.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

"Water is vital to life and the development of our society and economies. For too long, the residents of this area have been dealing with the challenges of not having access to safe drinkable water. For years, the well water that was being used, had arsenic levels higher that what was allowed by the EPA.

I applaud Nueces County Commissioner Joe A. Gonzalez for working with our Nueces County legislative delegation over the past five years to secure the funding needed for this project. We appreciate the coordination and cooperation between the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Water Development Board, to ensure that our families in this area will have safe water to drink."

Nueces County Commissioner Joe A. Gonzalez remarked, "This would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of the Nueces County Commissioners Court. This is a dream come true for our community. We have waited many years to be able to give our residents safe and clean drinking water. The $900,000 will allow us to finally construct these critical water distribution improvements and improve the quality of life for so many families."

The Cyndie Park 2 Water Supply Corporation is located in Nueces County, about eleven miles northeast of the City of Robstown. The Cyndie Park 2 Water Supply Corporation currently obtains its drinking water from a well with arsenic levels that are above the maximum contaminant level allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Nueces County, on behalf of the Corporation, received a grant from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to install a membrane filter to reduce the arsenic levels. An arsenic removal system was installed in 2014 to help control arsenic levels; however, the removal media must be replaced every 12 to 18 months and is not a viable long-term option for the residents.

Once the project is completed, the system will be turned over to the Nueces Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) and the residents will become customers of the NWSC. About 281 people will be served once the approximately 94 residences in the Cyndie Park 1 and 2 and the Ranch subdivisions are connected.

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