Border Environment Cooperation Commission
Improvements
to the Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems and Construction of a
Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ojinaga, Chih.
1.
Project
Type
The
project proposes improvements to the wastewater collection and treatment, and
the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, for which failing
collection lines (lines with negative slopes, insufficient diameter and
excessive wear) will be replaced and new lines will be installed to provide
coverage and connect 100% of the existing population. In addition, a new
wastewater treatment plant of 140 lps capacity, comprised of facultative
lagoons will be built to prevent contamination of the Rio Grandes main course,
the ground and local water tables.
2. Project Location
The city of Ojinaga, Chih., seat of the
municipality of the same name, is located along the southern margin of the Rio
Grande, which is the demarcation between Mexico and the United States of
America (USA). It is located along the border with the State of Texas, across
from Presidio. The city is located 231 km. northeast of the city of Chihuahua,
the state capital. Geographically, the community is located along coordinates
N29º 34 latitude, and W104º 24 longitude, at approximately 841 meters above
sea level. By the year 2000, the number of residents in Ojinaga was 20,371, and
projections for 2020, the last year of the projects planning period, expect
25,176 residents according to official INEGI and CONAPO data endorsed by the
State Population Council on February 16, 2001.
3. Description of Project and Tasks
In 1999 the city of Ojinaga, along with the Junta
Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento [the local water utility, known as JMAS],
started a technical assistance and certification process with the BECC. The
BECC provided assistance for the development of a Water, Wastewater Collection
and Treatment Master Plan by hiring the engineering firm of Parkhill, Smith
& Cooper, Inc. The study included an assessment of the systems conditions
and identified the tasks needed to provide efficient wastewater collection and
treatment services to 100% of the community, since at this time, 56% of the
residents lack wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment is practically
non-existent, given that the existing oxidation lagoon has reached the end of
its life cycle, after almost nine years in operation.
The proposed
wastewater collection tasks will enable the utility to collect wastewater from
section of the city that are not being currently served, reducing thus the
potential for human contact with wastewater and organisms that are vectors for
disease. In addition, the project will reduce the potential for contamination
of ground and surface water by discontinuing the use of latrines, septic tanks
and open-air drains. Effluent from the proposed wastewater treatment plant will
be discharged to the Rio Grande without contaminating its waters, providing
thus environmental and health benefits to residents of Ojinaga and adjacent
U.S. areas.
4. Project Components
A.
Replacement of collectors that have
negative slopes and cause silting, obstructions and septicization of
wastewater.
B.
Construction of expansions and new
sections of the wastewater collection system to connect and provide service to
approximately 11,500 additional users.
C. Replacement of lines that are over 30 years
old and are about to collapse due to their deteriorating condition.
D. Substitution of final sections of the systems
outfall; increase its diameter and hydraulic capacity, and correct its layout
and slope to manage expected wastewater flows.
E.
By replacing failing lines and connecting
100% of the population to the system, the project will reduce leachates from
septic tanks and latrines that contaminate local water tables.
F. Replacement
of damaged manholes, which will prevent wastewater leaks and spills that may
infiltrate water tables and the ground.
G. Construction of a new wastewater treatment plant of
140 lps capacity, pursuant to the final designed prepared by the Junta Central
de Agua y Saneamiento [state utility, known as JCAS] of the State of Chihuahua.
H. Initiation of an action plan to strengthen the
utility (Ojinaga JMAS).
5. Compliance with International Treaties and
Agreements
The project is in compliance with agreements
dealing with the environment and the betterment of quality of life conditions
for border residents, signed by Mexico and the United States of America,
including the La Paz Agreement, the Comprehensive Border Environment Plan, the
Border XXI Program and the North American Free Trade Agreement.
II.
Human Health and Environment
1.
Human
Health and Environmental Need
The development of this project will lead to
improved environmental and human health conditions in the city of Ojinaga,
Chihuahua, through the realization of improvements and expansions to the
wastewater collection and treatment systems. The proposed wastewater collection
project will provide service to city areas that are not being served.
Wastewater treatment works include the construction of a new wastewater
treatment plant (WWTP) to provide service to 100% of the community. The
planning period concludes in the year 2020.
Ojinaga is presently facing serious
environmental quality and public health problems. Only 44% of community
residents have sanitary sewage due to system deficiencies, and the rest of the
community uses latrines and septic tanks, which increase the risk of residents
coming in contact with wastewater, as it also increases the potential for contamination of surface water and water
tables. The existing oxidation lagoon has reached the end of its life cycle; it
is currently inoperable and discharges an effluent with a level of contaminants
that is above permissible limits, negatively impacting the quality of the Rio
Grande water.
The development of this
project will address the above issues, and will improve public health
conditions for local residents in the following manner:
(1) Human
health conditions will be improved by reducing or eliminating wastewater leaks
and overflows with the improved sanitary sewage system. The risk for residents
of coming in contact with wastewater will also be reduced.
(2) The
project will reduce the potential for ground and water table contamination that
could result from an inadequate use of latrines and septic tanks in areas that
lack sewage, or from the use of failing lines and the discharge of raw
wastewater to the Rio Grande.
(3) The
construction and operation of the new WWTP, as well as the construction of new
lines and the improvements to existing wastewater collection lines, will reduce
the pollution of Rio Grande waters, water tables, surface water and the ground.
2. Environmental Assessment
The projects
Environmental Assessment was developed in compliance with BECCs criteria and, since the project is eligible to
receive funds from the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF), it has to
comply with the regulations established
there on. Consequently, the project
required an environmental assessment to be developed in conformance with
the corresponding format, which must be approved by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). The FNSI was signed on July 17, 2002
Mexican laws establish in the General Law
for Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection that water
infrastructure projects such as the one being proposed, being a Wastewater
Treatment Plant that will discharge liquids or sludge into receiving bodies
that are considered to be national assets, require an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) to be developed under the federal format. The EIA must be
reviewed and evaluated by SEMARNAT. An EIA was developed and an approval
resolution was issued on June 21, 2002 by the corresponding federal
authorities.
3. Compliance with Applicable Environmental and Cultural Resource Laws
and Regulations
The site
selected for the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the effluents discharge
point into the Rio Grande have been duly identified and conform to the
provisions of Official Mexican Norm NOM-001-ECOL-1996, tables 2 y 3. In January
2002 EPAs Region 6 developed a mathematical model of the impact of discharging
the WWTPs treated effluent into the Rio Grande, and concluded that 600 MPN/100
ml is the maximum level of fecal coliforms required to ensure compliance with
the 200 MPN/100 ml criterion established by the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) for recreation uses with direct contact and
conservation of aquatic life 500 meters downstream from the discharge point.
This criterion is met by the WWTP, which will produce an effluent with 20 mg/L
BOD5, 20 mg/L TSS and 100
MPN/100 ml of fecal coliforms.
The National
Institute of Anthropology and History found no impact to archeological or
historical resources by the projects implementation.
1.
Appropriate
Technology
BECCs technical assistance funds were used
to develop the Water, Wastewater Collection and Treatment Master Plan for the
City of Ojinaga, Chih. (completed in March 2002) to be used as a planning tool;
the final design of the Complementary Works for the Municipal Wastewater
Collection System (to be completed in May 2002), and the Environmental Impact
Statement (submitted for consideration to SEMARNAT in April 2002). The States
Junta Central de Agua y Saneamiento (JCAS) used its own funds to develop the
final design of the Wastewater Treatment Plant for Ojinaga (completed in February 2002). The Step II
certification document was developed by the BECC in April 2002.
The technical
and financial review of the above projects was jointly undertaken by the BECC
and NADB, and comments, observations and requests for additional information
were timely incorporated, including those issued by participating regulatory
agencies (EPA, IBWC and CILA).
The projects
planning period covers until the year 2020. Initially, certification is being
sought for the first two phases (2002-2005 and 2005-2010).
Recommendations
to update and maintain full functionality of the municipal wastewater system
throughout the projects planning period consist in replacing critical sections
of collectors that currently have negative slopes, the progressive substitution
of old wastewater lines that tend to collapse, the introduction of a
complementary system of smaller sewers to serve areas that are not connected
and fall outside of the city limits, and connecting all households to the
public wastewater collection system within a maximum of four years.
All of the
components of the municipal wastewater system will operate by gravity, and the
outfall will convey treated wastewater to a pumping station to be located in
the vicinity of the existing oxidation lagoon. Then, wastewater will be
conveyed through pressurized lines to the proposed treatment system, which will
consist of a train composed by a series of lagoons (anaerobic facultative
finishing), that will discharge treated effluent by gravity to the Rio Grandes
main course.
Several
alternatives were explored to define the proposed treatment system, seeking at
all times a technology that would be congruent with the utilitys (Ojinaga
JMAS) capacity as far as the number of employees and their training, in addition
to the availability of financial resources.
An initial
screening included ten different treatment process trains capable of meeting
effluent quality requirements. This review phase considered both mechanical and
natural treatment alternatives based on lagoons and wetlands. Since the
availability of land was not a major limitation, the applicant opted for
natural alternatives, which coincidentally have less power and operator
training requirements. As a result of the initial process screening, two basic
treatment trains were selected along with five variations as to the potential
for implementing modular facilities and increasing the quality of the effluent
in the future.
The official
criterion to be met initially by the systems effluent is the one established
by NOM-001-ECOL-1996 in its section on discharges to rivers with public urban
use, that is, 75 mg/L BOD5,
75 mg/L TSS and 1000 MPN/100 ml of fecal coliforms. Pursuant to this criterion,
the proposed treatment system did not consider disinfecting the effluent by
chemical means, but through the elimination of pathogen microorganisms by
natural means (e.g. ultraviolet ray radiation in maturation and finishing
lagoons), avoiding thus the incorporation of potentially toxic
organochlorinated compounds to river waters, or the need to dechlorinate the
effluent, with the possibility of complications related to the operation and
the high associated costs. The design developed by the JCAS was influenced by
the need to consistently produce an effluent with less than 1000 MPN/100 ml of
fecal coliforms, which would be achieved with relatively long water retention
times in treatment lagoons, close to 25 to 30 days total. Thus, the efficiency
for removal of organic matter and suspended solids will be higher than what is
needed to comply with criteria stated in the above NOM, producing in theory an
effluent with approximately 20 mg/L BOD5, 20 mg/L TSS and less than
1000 MPN/100 ml of fecal coliforms. As for organic charge, the systems design
was based on 54 g/res/day per capita which, incorporating a 20% safety factor,
resulted in a mean concentration of 160 mg/L BOD5. Treatment efficiency for units based on
these figures was reviewed for a 220 mg/L concentrating, meeting official
discharge criteria, even under these circumstances.
As per the
mathematical model developed by EPA Region 6 in January 2002 to estimate the
impact of discharging the treated effluent to the Rio Grande, 600 MPN/100 ml is
the maximum level of fecal coliforms required to ensure compliance with the 200
MPN/100 ml criterion established by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission (TNRCC) for recreation uses with direct contact and conservation of
aquatic life 500 meters downstream from the discharge point. This additional
criterion is also fully met by the proposed design.
In summary,
wastewater treatment will be based on natural purification methods,
specifically a system of stabilization lagoons where organic matter will be
biodegraded under controlled conditions. The treatment system will consist of
the following unitary operations:
§
Degritting and
desilting unit.
§
Raw wastewater
pumping station and extraordinary flow regulating reservoir
§
Pressurized
conveyance line
§
Flow measuring
unit
§
Four primary
lagoons (anaerobic)
§
Two secondary
lagoons (facultative)
§
Two primary
polishing lagoons, and
§
One secondary
polishing lagoon
The treatment
systems lagoons were designed to meet all the above criteria, and their final
dimensions were adjusted to the geometry of the available land; thus, the
effluents expected quality will be, at all times, approximately 20 mg/L BOD5,
20 mg/L TSS and 100 MPN/100 ml of fecal coliforms.
It must be
mentioned that Chihuahuas JCAS is considering the possibility of reclaiming the
treated effluent for urban public uses (industry, turf irrigation, etc.) in the
future.
2. Operation and Maintenance Plan
Ojinagas JMAS
will be charged with operating and maintaining in good operating condition the
works that are proposed to complement the wastewater collection and treatment
systems, for which existing programs must be adapted pursuant to the guidelines
contained in the corresponding final designs.
3. Compliance with applicable
design norms and regulations
Basic design
and planning criteria applied to all phases of the projects development were
those recommended by the [Mexican] National Water Commission for comprehensive
water, wastewater collection and treatment projects.
IV. Financial Feasibility and Project
Management
1. Financial Feasibility
2. Following
are the costs of wastewater collection and treatment as per the project:
Investments for the first phase, which have
already been incurred by the Mexican government, are detailed in the table
below:
|
Item |
Updated
Cost (Mex$) |
|
Sewer lines |
702,182.81
|
|
Sewer
lines |
21,518.26 |
|
Sewer
lines |
62,519.51 |
|
Sewer lines |
15,185.08 |
|
Household hook-ups |
1,302,162.39 |
|
Household hook-ups |
652,402.85 |
|
Sewer lines and Reforma collector |
589,159.38 |
|
Subtotal |
3,345,130.29 |
|
Land |
441,044.94 |
|
Final Design (7 %) |
334,513.03 |
|
Supervision (10 %) |
334,513.03 |
|
Total |
4,455,201.29 |
Updated
prices based on NCPI, December 2001
The investment
schedule for the first, second, third and fourth phases is outlined in the
following table:
|
Tasks |
2000-2005 |
2005-2010 |
2010-2015 |
2015-2020 |
||||
|
Improvements to the existing wastewater collection
system |
||||||||
|
Replacement of line A sections |
2,840,730.00 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Replacement of line B sections |
|
840,475.00 |
|
|
||||
|
Replacement of line D1 sections |
888,322.50 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Replacement of line D2 sections |
485,587.50 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Replacement of existing systems pipes |
|
1,952,350.00 |
1,485,425.00 |
1,158,300.00 |
||||
|
Additional sewage lines (for expansion) |
563,241.25 |
1,396,000.00 |
3,054,500.00 |
|
||||
|
Connecting new users to the sewage system |
9,402,400.00 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Amount (Includes 15% V.A.T.) |
14,190,281.25 |
4,188,825.00 |
4,539,925.00 |
1,158,300.00 |
||||
|
Final Design (7%) |
993,319.69 |
293,217.75 |
317,794.75 |
81,081.00 |
||||
|
Supervision (10%) |
1,419,028.13 |
418,882.50 |
453,992.50 |
115,830.00 |
||||
|
Contingencies (10%) |
1,419,028.13 |
418,882.50 |
453,992.50 |
115,830.00 |
||||
|
Total |
18,021,657.20 |
5,319,807.75 |
5,765,704.75 |
1,471,041.00 |
||||
|
Treatment (Construction of the wastewater treatment
system) |
||||||||
|
Pretreatment |
3,400,103.85 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Pressurized conveyance line |
5,556,546.16 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Pressure-breaking and flow-distribution box |
101,239.04 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Formation of lagoons |
8,067,709.47 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Inspection boxes, manholes, and interconnection
pipes |
942,955.70 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Supplementary works |
511,835.86 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Amount (includes 15% V.A.T.) |
18,580,390.08 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Final Design (7%) |
1,300,627.31 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Supervision (10%) |
1,858,039.01 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Contingencies |
1,858,039.01 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Total |
23,597,095.41 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Institutional
Capacity Building |
200,000.00 |
500,000 |
|
|
||||
Updated prices based on NCPI, December 2001
For
certification purposes, this analysis only considers wastewater collection and
treatment projects. The possibility of certifying a water project will be
considered in the future. Proposed investments will be complemented by
institutional capacity building actions throughout the projects first and
second phases.
Institutional capacity
building activities include:
§ Upgrading
billing and collection systems
§ Fee
/ Rate study
§ Program
for reclaiming unaccounted water
§ Energy-savings
program
§ Outfitting
Cost of Projects (Mx$) to expand the Wastewater Collection System, build
a new Wastewater Treatment System, and Improve Customer Service
|
|
1st Phase |
2nd Phase |
3rd Phase |
4th Phase |
|
Wastewater collection system |
$18021,657 |
$5319,807 |
$5765,704 |
$1471,041 |
|
Wastewater treatment system |
$23597,095 |
|
|
|
|
Institutional capacity building |
$200,000 |
$500,000 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
$41818,752 |
$5819,807 |
$5765,704 |
$1471,041 |
Updated prices based on NCPI,
December 2001
From the total
budget, approximately $4455,201 have been incurred by the three levels of
government. The amount required for the 1st and 2nd
phases (2003-2010) is $47638,559 pesos.
A summary of the
financial structure for the first and second phases appears in the following
table. Tasks completed for the first phase have been considered and updated
based on the December 2001 National Consumer Price Index. Additionally, a final design has been
developed for the first phase of the project, and costs have been determined
with more accuracy.
Financial Structure for the First and Second Phases of the Project
(2003-2010)
|
Source |
Type |
Amount
(US$) |
% of the Cost of the Projects Phase I |
|
Mexican Government (Apazu & FDSM)* |
Grant |
464,084 |
9.4% |
|
Mexican Government (State) |
Grant |
1,501,869 |
30.2 |
|
NADB-BEIF C.A. (subject to EPA approval) |
Grant |
2,115,953 |
43 |
|
LOAN |
Loan |
867,466 |
17.4 |
|
TOTAL |
|
4,949,372 |
100% |
3. Fee Structure
The current fee
structure includes a flat fee that depends on the type of service. Below is a
summary table of the 1999-2000 fee schedule and the number of users with each
type of service. The structure includes four residential rates, A to D, and
nine commercial rates, E to M. Categories A through C are only for water
service without wastewater collection. Category D is for water and wastewater
collection service. Commercial rates depend on the type of business and
estimated monthly usage. All commercial rates include wastewater
collection.
|
Table IV-2 |
|||||||
|
|
Flat Fee |
|
Metered Service |
||||
|
|
Applicable monthly fee |
Users |
Amount |
Range |
Applicable monthly fee |
Users |
Amount |
|
A |
55.54 |
1,967 |
109,247.18 |
23 |
44.21 |
1,123 |
49,647.83 |
|
B |
88.54 |
1,568 |
138,830.72 |
33 |
55.87 |
358 |
20,001.46 |
|
C |
138.02 |
103 |
14,216.06 |
50 |
80.63 |
395 |
31,848.85 |
|
D |
330.05 |
2 |
660.10 |
75 |
197.48 |
255 |
50,357.40 |
|
E |
106.54 |
132 |
14,063.28 |
Total |
|
2,131 |
151,855.54 |
|
F |
222.03 |
46 |
10,213.38 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
3,818 |
287,230.72 |
|
|
|
|
Average residential rate 2.21 $/m3
|
Table IV-3 |
|||||||
|
|
Flat Fee |
|
Metered Service |
||||
|
|
Applicable monthly fee |
Users |
Amount |
Range |
Applicable monthly fee |
Users |
Amount |
|
G |
474.08 |
8 |
3,792.64 |
100 |
293.86 |
85 |
24,978.10 |
|
H |
754.57 |
14 |
10,563.98 |
130 |
421.81 |
40 |
16,872.40 |
|
I |
1492.65 |
5 |
7,463.25 |
160 |
615.74 |
21 |
12,930.54 |
|
J |
5358.84 |
1 |
5,358.84 |
200 |
892.85 |
19 |
16,964.15 |
|
X |
241.55 |
2 |
483.10 |
300 |
1701.67 |
18 |
30,630.06 |
|
Y |
355.57 |
8 |
2,844.56 |
400 |
2170.78 |
4 |
8,683.12 |
|
Z |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
500 |
4200.43 |
3 |
12,601.29 |
|
Total |
|
38 |
30,506.37 |
OVER 500 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
190 |
123,659.66 |
Average commercial,
industrial and government rate 7.22 $/m3
|
|
Annual volume (m3) |
Percentage |
Weighted rate ($/m3) |
|
Residential |
2,383.50 |
90.30 % |
2.00 |
|
Commercial and Government |
256.15 |
9.70 % |
0.70 |
|
Total |
2,639.65 |
100.00 % |
2.6970 |
In 2000, the
average residential rate was $2.21/m3, while the commercial rate was
$7.22/m3.
The financial feasibility study has been
reviewed by NADB and their proposal in terms of financial structure and water
rates are presented in the following
tables
The total estimated cost
of the first phase of the Project is $4,949,372. The proposed uses of funds are:
USES OF FUNDS
|
COMPONENT |
COST |
|
Wastewater Treatment Plant |
|
|
Construction |
1,935,457 |
|
Other costs
including design |
329,028 |
|
Land acquisition |
45,942 |
|
Design
contingency |
193,546 |
|
Total WWTP Cost |
2,503,973 |
|
Wastewater Collection System |
|
|
Construction |
1,826,605 |
|
Other costs
including design |
320,976 |
|
Design
contingency |
147,815 |
|
Total WW System Cost |
2,295,397 |
|
Construction Management |
150,000 |
|
TOTAL PROJECT COST |
4,949,372 |
AVERAGE RATE
PROPOSED
|
Last Year to Increasee Rates |
Rate $/m3 |
AverageCost Méx$/month |
Increase (%) |
|
2002 |
2.10 |
103.7 |
|
|
2003 |
3.32 |
157.8 |
60 |
|
2004-06 |
3.32 |
142.0 |
0 |
|
2007 |
3.99 |
158.4 |
20 |
|
2008-11 |
3.99 |
136.5 |
0 |
|
2012 |
4.30 |
143.3 |
8 |
Notes:
1. The above figures consider the
implementation of the wastewater system portion of the overall project.
2. When the water supply and distribution
portion of the project is analyzed, the water rates will be revisited.
3. The proposed rate increase of 20% should be
applied by the year 2007. This rate increase may be applied gradually in the
period 2004-2006.
4. The BEIF funds mentioned are subject to
US.EPA approval.
4. Project Development
The project
will be managed by the local water utility, Ojinagas JMAS. The system is
expected to operate efficiently and become self-funded through the collection
of user fees.
1. Initiation of the Public Process
The public process started on June 29, 2001,
when the Chairman of the Junta Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento de Ojinaga,
Chih., Mr. Adrián Muñiz Rodríguez, in his capacity of official project sponsor,
was provided with the BECCs Guide for Public Participation and other reference
documents, to begin the public process.
2.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee was established on
October 25, 2001 at a meeting held at the JMAS Meeting Room in Ojinaga, where
the board of directors was elected. The following individuals were elected:
Chairman:
Mr. Salvador Franco Armendáriz
Secretary: Mr. Elpidio Pando García
Alternate: Dr. Manuel Acosta Muñoz
Technical Secretary: Mr. Adrián Muñiz Rodríguez
3.
Comprehensive Community Participation Plan
Ojinagas prior
experience in developing a BECC public participation process, based on their
experience with the certification of their Solid Waste project in October 2001,
has enabled local residents to use of what was learned from a successful
journey to optimize community efforts.
The close
proximity of the last certification allow the Steering Committee to use the
recent Public Opinion Survey developed for the community of Ojinaga,
Chihuahua by the Colegio de la Frontera Norte, which identified socioeconomic
characteristics and the most appropriate methods to inform the community about
environmental issues and potential solutions. Thus, the study served as a basis
to develop the Comprehensive Community Participation Plan that was submitted to
the BECC for approval.
This
Comprehensive Community Participation Plan was received by the BECC on November
16, 2001 and approved on December 6, 2001.
4. Public Information
Information about the project and its
characteristics has been distributed through approximately 6,000 brochures and
flyers, which have been attached to water bills that are delivered to each
household. In addition, the project has been advertised, and the community has
been invited to public meetings through the three local radio stations. The
Steering Committee has done a remarkable job of scheduling information meetings
with community groups, particularly with trade chambers, professional
associations, service clubs, and groups of teachers from local schools. The
project has been available for review by the community at the JMAS office in
Ojinaga.
5. First Public Meeting
This
meeting took place on January 22, 2002 at the Assembly Room of the local
Chamber of Commerce, and was attended by 47. At this meeting, the projects
technical aspects, location, issues and approximate cost were discussed. The
participation of attendees, given its intensity and application, greatly
surpassed expectations based on the number of attendees. The public showed
interest in knowing when the project tasks will begin. An exit poll was applied
and 100% of attendees explicitly stated to be in total agreement with the
project and emphasized the importance it has for Ojinaga.
6. Second Public Meeting
It
was held at 7:30 p.m. on July 26, 2002
at the Zocalo in Ojinaga. The meeting had an attendance of more than 400
people. Assistants arrived on time and enjoyed a party ambiance, despite the
high temperature and storm warning. At
this meeting, the projects technical characteristics and scope, cost, financial
structure, and corresponding fee schedule were presented. Seven people spoke up
at the meeting requesting clarification on the projects purposes and the rate
structure. Finally the project and its rate structure were accepted by a
notorious majority of the people at the meeting. Additionally, relevant
comments as to the importance and significance of the project were made by
community members. A poll was realized to 335 people present at the meeting,
91%(305 people) indicated they understood the project and accepted the proposed rate, the remaining 9% (30
people) was either against the project
or didnt have an opinion about it.
1. Definition and Principles
The project complies with the BECCs definition of Sustainable
Development. The project for improvements to the wastewater collection and
treatment systems and the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant
(WWTP) focuses on providing better quality of life for Ojinaga residents.
The project contributes to reducing
environmental deterioration by correcting existing flaws in the wastewater
collection system, expanding the lines and providing the means to connect 100%
of the households, businesses, industries and public and community service facilities. Wastewater
will be collected and conveyed to the projects WWTP, where it will be
adequately treated using the proposed system, to eliminate organic and
bacteriological contaminants that jeopardize human health.
It
is important to highlight that by improving the sanitary sewage system, the
project will eliminate the use of latrines and septic tanks, as well as leaks
and overflows that contribute to polluting surface waters, water tables and the
ground. In addition, the project will prevent the risk of human contact with
wastewater. Appropriate treatment of wastewater will prevent contamination of
the course of the Rio Grande, since the effluent will have adequate quality, in
conformance with established legal criteria.
Stakeholders
in this project are the municipal government through the JMAS Ojinaga, the
Government of the State of Chihuahua, and Ojinaga residents, who will be
directly benefited by the improvements to wastewater services, the environment
and the ecological setting.
2.
Institutional
and Human Capacity Building
The
project proposes improving the functions of the local utility, in this case the
Junta Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento de Ojinaga, by implementing adequate
accounting systems, appropriate rates to ensure recovery and payment of investments
needed for the systems self-sufficiency, and improving billing and collection
systems. A grievance department will also be established to obtain customer
input and make applicable adjustments on a timely basis. The project includes
an operation and maintenance manual for the wastewater treatment system, which
will be efficiently operated by available local staff. To build the wastewater
treatment plant, JMAS Ojinaga purchased rural land and has authenticated the
property title deed.
3. Conformance to Local, Municipal and Regional
Conservation and Development Plans
The project
meets all applicable provisions established by the National and State
Development Plans. Specifically, the project addresses actions recommended in
Ojinagas Municipal Urban Development Plans. JMAS Ojinaga applied for and
obtained a certificate for use of soil issued by the Directorate of Public
Works of the Municipal Government of Ojinaga, Chihuahua.
4.
Natural
Resource Conservation
The project
takes into account all applicable health and environmental standards for its
development, and proposes strategies to adequately handle wastewater collection
and treatment in Ojinaga.
The most beneficial environmental impact will be
that, upon improving the sanitary sewage system, the project will provide
service to 100% of the community, and will prevent contamination of surface
water, water tables and the ground; it will also prevent human contact with
wastewater. With the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP),
wastewater will be adequately treated and the effluent that will be discharged
to the Rio Grande will meet applicable standards to prevent water contamination
and comply with Official Mexican Norm NOM001-ECOL-1996.
5.
Community
Development
Characteristics and parameters used for planning
the projects strategies result in a direct benefit for 100% of the urban
population.
Some of the major beneficial impacts include:
·
Direct environmental and human health benefit with the
collection of wastewater for 100% of the population and adequate treatment of
raw water at the new WWTP.
· Financial
benefit brought about by the works needed for the construction and operation of
wastewater collection and treatment systems.
This leads us
to conclude that there will be major environmental, social and economic
benefits and developments for Ojinaga by providing residents with efficient and
safe wastewater collection and treatment services that will increase the
communitys welfare by eliminating the risk of diseases caused by wastewater
mismanagement.