Background

As an important trade corridor with almost 36% of all international trade goods and merchandise to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America passing through its ports of entry, Nuevo Laredo experiences high traffic flows that have overwhelmed its current roadway system, leading to slow-moving traffic, heavy congestion, and increased air pollution from exhaust emissions, as well as accelerated deterioration of existing roadway infrastructure. In addition, the Municipality continues to address paving deficiencies throughout the city, mainly in residential neighborhood, through investments in paving works, such as those certified and financed in 2008, which served to increase paving coverage from around 58% to about 80%.

Currently, the local utility, COMAPA, estimates that 98% of the population has drinking water service and 96% receive wastewater collection service, while wastewater treatment is estimated at 79%. The water and wastewater works considered under the current project are part of COMAPA’s comprehensive plan and are mainly aimed at increasing coverage to unserved areas.

Description

The project consists of the following infrastructure works:

• Water system: Construction of 14,545 m (47,719 ft.) of water distribution and transmission lines and upgrades to two pump stations.
• Wastewater system: Construction of 26,543 m (87,083 ft.) of sewer lines, rehabilitation of 914 m (2,999 ft.) of conveyance lines, upgrades to a lift station and construction of a treatment plant with 0.5 liter per second (11,400 gallons a day) capacity.
• Storm drainage: Construction of 1,072 m (3,517 ft.) of storm water lines.
• Paving and roadway improvements: Paving of 123,955 square meters (m2 ) of dirt roads, rehabilitation and expansion of 332,255 m 2 of existing roads and construction of four urban overpasses: Fundadores, Mazatlán, Yucatán and Héroes de la Independencia.

Benefits

Implementation of these works will help to reduce water, soil and air pollution that is currently affecting the health and the quality of life of local residents. Specifically, street paving and roadway improvements are expected to contribute to the reduction of 265.4 metric tons/year of PM10, while better mobility and less congestion will help reduce vehicle emissions, including an estimated 249.6 metric tons/year of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, 652.1 metric tons/year of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and 253.0 metric tons/year of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In addition, an estimated 1,024 households will have access to first-time water service and an estimated 5,116 households will have access to first-time wastewater services. Once all of the sewer connections are installed, an estimated 45.5 liters per second (lps) or 1.04 million gallons a day (mgd) of wastewater will be collected and treated. Storm water infrastructure improvements will mitigate the risk of flooding in the urban area and provide proper storm water management, separate from the sewer system.