In a report to The Big Bend Sentinel, Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District General Manager Trey Gerfers detailed the ongoing progress of several major infrastructure projects aimed at improving water and wastewater systems in underserved areas of the county.
According to Gerfers, the projects—funded through the Texas Water Development Board’s Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP)—include a new sewer system for Fort D.A. Russell in Marfa, new water and wastewater infrastructure for East Heights in Marfa, and the planning and design of new water systems for Las Pampas and Shafter.
Gerfers reported that the county hired El Paso-based engineering firm Brock & Bustillos in January 2024, along with Becky Brewster as grant administrator and Gerfers himself as program manager. The projects are backed by approximately $3 million in grant funding, with an additional $1.6 million in matching funds raised through certificates of obligation purchased by the TWDB—essentially a 20-year loan the county will repay.
Sergio Adame of Brock & Bustillos leads the engineering efforts and explained that the TWDB’s EDAP program involves a four-phase approval process: eligibility determination (Category A), condition assessment (Category B), alternatives analysis (Category C), and implementation planning (Category D).
Gerfers stated that all projects except the one in Shafter have cleared Category B.
Fort D.A. Russell
Gerfers said the Fort D.A. Russell project will include a new sewer line behind the residences along Officers Row and additional lines running north of the Chinati Foundation, connecting to an existing manhole beneath Madrid Street near the Border Patrol facility. The work also includes a lift station south of Chinati’s sheds to move wastewater from lower elevations into the city system.
East Heights
The East Heights project, also approved through Category B, will involve water and wastewater lines beneath El Paso Street, from the western edge of the neighborhood to the Tumble In RV Park. These lines will cross under a railroad track and tie into existing systems along Oak Street.
Las Pampas
Gerfers said the Las Pampas water project has also passed the Category B stage. Plans call for a water line along Highway 67 from the Junta de los Rios water tower across from the Presidio-Lely Airport up to Las Pampas. Two pump stations will push water to a hilltop storage tank, which will feed nearby homes by gravity. Water for the system will be provided by the City of Presidio.
Shafter
Shafter, Gerfers said, remains the most complex of the four projects. The town’s current system, operated by the mining company, draws from the Mina Grande Aquifer. According to a hydrology report prepared for the county by John Shomaker & Associates, water levels in a new well could be compromised if the mine resumes operations and dewaters the shafts.
The county initially explored drilling a new well on nearby Cibolo Creek Ranch, but Gerfers reported that negotiations fell through due to complications including the need to cross the Trans-Pecos Pipeline easement. The team is now trying to identify property owners within Shafter to site a well deep enough to avoid interference from any future mining activity.
Despite the challenges, Gerfers emphasized the value of the work. “Water and sewer projects often involve complex challenges that require creative and strategic thinking,” grant administrator Becky Brewster said in the report. “It is rewarding to know you have played a small part in long-term improvements that will improve the quality of life for the residents of the community and last for years to come.”
