Project to Improve Stormwater Drainage NEWS RELEASE Contact: Karol Parker, Public Affairs Officer 915-594-5692 (office), e-mail: kparker@epwu.org Date: January 8, 2008 (El Paso, Texas) — El Paso’s stormwater utility will begin operating on March 1 when El Paso Water Utilities begins managing the stormwater system. At the request of the City’s Development Services Department, however, EPWU has already begun to manage stormwater pump station rehabilitation projects. The Public Service Board awarded the first of several stormwater pump station projects at its Dec. 12 meeting. El Paso A.R.C. Electrical was selected to rehabilitate the Cebada Stormwater Pump Station. This project is the first major step in improving drainage in most areas of Central El Paso, including the critical Interstate Highway 10 area between Cotton and Copia Streets. The City bid the project earlier in the year and received one $4.8 million bid that significantly exceeded the $3 million budget. The cost fell to $1.7 million when El Paso Water Utilities rebid the project. Background The Cebada station is the city’s largest stormwater pump station and essential to stormwater drainage in many areas of Central El Paso. It collects stormwater runoff from the southeastern slopes of the Franklin Mountains to McKelligon Canyon and the downstream area between Cotton and Copia Streets. Stormwater collected by storm drain inlets flows by gravity through conduits to the Cebada station. Pumps lift the water into a basin, and it flows by gravity through conduits into the Rio Grande river channel. The Cebada station’s transformer can operate only three of its six pumps, which was not sufficient to handle the large amounts of stormwater flowing in during Storm 2006. Stormwater could no longer flow into the pump station from upstream reservoirs and retention basins, which led to flooding in some Central El Paso areas, including I-10. Project Details A.R.C. Electrical will replace two pumps during the rehabilitation, and the existing transformer will be replaced with two new transformers that generate enough power to operate the six pumps. The associated electrical and mechanical systems will also be refurbished and upgraded. A new climate-controlled building will house the equipment, as well as a radio-based communication system. Operators will use the system’s radio telemetry and automatic controls to monitor water levels and operate pumps from a remote location. This technology is not currently used at stormwater pump stations, so workers must travel to the site to assess conditions and operate pumps. EPWU has considerable experience in maintaining and operating pump stations, which are essential components of the water distribution system. By restructuring the bid to take advantage of a previously-negotiated maintenance contract, the Utility saved ratepayers more than $3 million. The Cebada Stormwater Pump Station Improvements Project is a City of El Paso/El Paso Water Utilities collaboration. The City funded the project from the $115 million in certificates of obligation issued for Storm 2006 capital projects.