Representatives from the City of McAllen and Hidalgo County Water District # 3 debated today on who is best fit to operate the district.
"The city has a function and our district has a function,” Water District # 3 Manger Othal Brand, Jr. said. “Someone, in their infinite wisdom, formed us and believes we each have a purpose and that we both full fill those.”
Brand said, to his knowledge, there are only two cities in the Valley that aren’t supplied water from a water district. He said he does not understand why McAllen has to be different.
"Mainly because the infrastructure was already in place, none of the cities have to build new infrastructure,” Brand said. “All they have to do is get next to a canal in the water district to get the water they need."
Roy Rodriguez, General Manager of McAllen Public Utilities, said the city can do a better job at running the District.
McAllen city officials have introduced legislation in Austin to assume all responsibilities of the operation of Water District # 3.
"Due to our size, the way we do business and our operational methods we can run this district in a much more efficient manner," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the District provides the majority of McAllen residents with water.
He said over the years the city has had numerous issues with the District and as the city continues to grow they cannot have this obstruction in their way.
"We can't have another public entity continue to delay us and obstruct what we're going to do,” Rodriguez said. “We find that the City of McAllen can do a better job."
If this piece of legislation passes, the citizens of McAllen ultimately decide the fate of Water District # 3.
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