EPWU Facilities to Be Named for Hutchison, Ramirez NEWS RELEASE Contact: Hector Gonzalez, Government Affairs and Communications Manager 915-594-5661, e-mail: publicaffairs@epwu.org Date: February 13, 2007 (El Paso) At its Feb. 14 meeting, the Public Service Board will adopt resolutions naming two facilities currently under construction in honor of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and the Honorable Carlos M. Ramirez, former El Paso mayor and commissioner of the U.S. Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). The desalination plant and facilities will be named the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant in honor of the senator, who was instrumental in their planning, design and construction. "Senator Hutchison has been supportive of El Paso's water issues and projects over the years,” said EPWU General Manager Ed Archuleta. “The desalination plant is but one project she has advocated for. Naming the plant after the senator is a tribute to her support." The plant will produce 27.5 million gallons per day of potable water for residents of Northeast and East El Paso and Fort Bliss. This will increase fresh water production for El Paso by 25 percent, based on current demand. The project is 80 percent complete and will begin operating in early June. The adjacent learning center will be named the Carlos M. Ramirez TecH2O Water Resource Learning Center in honor of the former mayor and IBWC commissioner. The 30,450-square-foot facility will contain interactive displays, exhibits and demonstration projects that focus on water management, a 250-seat auditorium suitable for hosting forums and conferences and a large classroom-style meeting room. TecH2O is designed to facilitate study, discussion and research. “Mayor Ramirez had a vision of El Paso being a model of conservation and technology. This center is a testimony to that vision,” said Mayor John Cook. An official dedication for both facilities will be scheduled for late summer.