Sanchez, S. (2022, August 8). Border-barrier crews taking water from South Texas canals despite drought restrictions. kxan.com. https://www.kxan.com/border-report/exclusive-border-barrier-crews-taking-water-from-south-texas-canals-despite-drought-restrictions/
Because Texas is in the midst of a drought, restrictions have been put into effect for residents living in the Rio Grande Valley. Nearby, crews working on the border wall have been taking truckloads of water from the canal. Even the National Butterfly Center, which has water rights to the Rio Grande, has been stopped from accessing water by the watermaster. The canal however, is exempt from the restriction because it delivers water to public services. Residents face fines for wasteful and unnecessary water usage, but the construction teams are using the water to reduce dust by pouring it on the ground.
This example of how residents and corporations face wildly different scenarios regarding water restrictions helps show the loopholes in the system. It also shows the importance of fixing these loopholes so that water can’t be misused as easily. Especially because of the severity of the drought and current importance of eliminating water waste. Hopefully these issues are fixed in the near future to ensure a more just and sustainable future.
this drought is very important and it has affected so much, it has yet to get better in places like texas, or in new Mexico. according to the information that you have stated that the loophole that could be created are restricted and they can not be used greatly and extensively.
Thanks for reading and commenting
I appreciate that you addressed the lack of compliance from businesses such as construction. Everyone should be restricting their water usage from this canal and businesses should not be exempt from this rule. Do you think that they will enforce stricter rules against water usage in the canal as a result?
I hope that stricter rules will be enforced and that there will be meaningful consequences for breaking them because so often wealthy corporations get away with breaking the law and regular people suffer.