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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Gustavo Cordova, CM
(Santa Fe, NM). The New Mexico Community Development Council met on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at the State Capitol in Santa Fe to consider grant allocations for communities across the State.
A total of $13,596,394.85 was available for distribution to small communities under the Community Development Block grant program. $500,000 was reserved from that amount for economic development planning grants to be considered at a later date.
The City of Espanola was awarded $500,000 for water supply system improvements. The City applied for the grant to match the $2,580,000 Water Trust Board grant, and $645,000 in local funds to bring two wells back into operation. The City had to shut down Wells 4 and 7 due to elevated levels of nitrates, fluoride, and arsenic.
The grant funds will allow the City to install water treatment and blend the water from both wells to improve the water quality to meet federal drinking water standards. The project is currently under design and is expected to go to construction by late summer.
Mayor Joseph Maestas was pleased with the grant award and thanked the members of the Community Development Council for giving the project a high priority. Mayor Maestas said “This is the first time since 1996 that the City of Espanola has been selected for a CDBG grant award.”
The City Council has prioritized this project because it will result in increased water pressure and better water quality for the Espanola Valley High School and the residents of the El Llano area. The increase in quantity will also improve the fire protection capability in that part of town.
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