Brief History in Drinking Water

Spaniards in the late 16th and 17th centuries used a system of ditches and canals leading from the Rio Grande. The main problem at that time was not adequate supply, but how to get rid of the mud. In the 1800's people cleaned water from the Rio Grande River by using mashed prickly pear leaves. The leaves were mixed with water in barrels to settle dirt particles. In 1881 the railroads arrived and population increased, with it came the need for a cleaner and more adequate supply of water.

In 1882 the first reservoir was built at Sunset Heights. Its purpose was to provide a large enough container for storing river water, thereby allowing the dirt and mud to settle. The reservoir is still active today.

Sunset Heights Reservoir, historical site

The first well was sunk approximately ten years later. In 1943, the first water treatment plant was completed and named after W.E. Robertson, an El Paso Water Board Chairman. Its sister plant, the Elwood J. Umbenhauer Water Treatment Plant, was built in 1967. These plants treat water so that it meets the drinking water standards set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Water Commission.