The first South Texas Water Working Group meeting was held in McAllen, TX, on Aug. 15, hosted by Texas Congresswoman Monica D La Cruz, the new group, launched earlier in August after the U.S. House passed FY 25 Appropriations Bill in June with Provision to Withhold U.S. Funding to Mexico Over Water Payment Noncompliance.
The Aug. 15 meeting, which featured community, government, and farming industry representatives from across the 15th District of Texas, was formed on Aug. 6 as “a collaborative effort aimed at addressing and resolving the water challenges faced by South Texas communities. This initiative underscores Congresswoman De La Cruz’s commitment to working with local leaders to develop and implement long-term, community-driven solutions to ensure water sustainability and security for the region,” Rep. De La Cruz’s office said in a press release.
The contentious and ongoing water issue was addressed by the U.S. House in June, when legislation that included language to withhold U.S. funding to Mexico until it “meets its legally obligated payments to the U.S.” was passed.
That action, De La Cruz’s office wrote, underscored “the urgent need for action,” and the legislation passed a day after De La Cruz (TX-15) led a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture “urging faster relief payments to… growers who lost their livelihoods due to Mexico’s lack of water deliveries,” her office wrote. At the heart of the matter is an agreement between Mexico and the U.S. “to balance the deficit of water deliveries to the U.S. by Mexico per the terms of the 1944 Water Treaty.” Mexico now owes the United States more than 900,000 acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty. Ensuring compliance with this treaty remains a top priority, but proactive, localized efforts are equally important to mitigate the impact of water shortages. The FY 25 bill advanced to the Senate. “The State Department has failed to secure meaningful progress with Mexico’s government on delivering water guaranteed to South Texas under the 1944 water treaty between the two nations, necessitating the inclusion of this language in the appropriations bill,” De La Cruz’s office said. She added, “I thank my colleagues in the Texas delegation for working together across party lines to secure this vital language. With legislation passed that withholds funding from our southern neighbors, they will now see how serious we are about receiving our guaranteed payments. The longer they hold out, the worse the situation is for farmers and ranchers who need that water to produce food that feeds America.” She cited the state’s sugar industry, which “is no longer in existence, and the next casualty will be the citrus industry. This bill holds Mexico accountable, and I hope it will push its leaders to do the right thing.”
She told Aug. 16 attendees, “What we want to do is pull both federal dollars and state dollars to be able to meet your goals,“ adding that both communities and the farming industry will drive the group.
“Water is a critical resource for our agricultural sector, businesses, and families. The South Texas Water Working Group will bring together diverse stakeholders to address our water challenges head-on and find sustainable solutions,” she said. “As we continue to press Mexico to adhere to the 1944 Water Treaty obligations, it’s essential that we also look inward and develop strategies that will serve our communities for generations to come.”
The group consists of community and industry leaders, including:
- Dante Galeazzi, CEO/President, Texas International Produce Association
- Dale Murden, President, Texas Citrus Mutual
- Eric Ramos, Brooks County Judge
- Donna Dodgen, Mayor of Seguin
- Ricardo Villarreal, Mayor of Palmview
- Jim Darling, Former McAllen Mayor
- Richard Cortez, Hidalgo County Judge
- Bobby Salinas, City Manager, City of Alamo
- Alma Salinas, Mayor of Sullivan City
- Norie Garza, Mayor of Mission
- Roel Roy Rodriguez, McAllen City Manager
- Pedro “Pete” Trevino, Jr., Jim Wells County Judge
- Cynthia Carrasco, Mayor of Alice
- Homer Lott Jr., Mayor of Runge
- Wade Hedtke, Karnes County Judge
- James Liska, Live Oak County Judge
- Hank Whitman, Wilson County Judge
- Brian Jones, Texas Farm Bureau
- Terry Canales, Texas State Representative, District 40
- Juan “Chuy” Hinijosa, Texas State Senator, District 20
