Up to three miles of new water distribution could be constructed in the near future for a small metro El Paso community that has been without its own water system for decades.
The Hillcrest community is located in an unincorporated area roughly 20 miles to the southeast of El Paso and is the home to around two hundred people.
Many of the one-story homes in the community date back to the 1950s and 60s.
Due to a variety of factors, including a higher poverty rate in Hillcrest than in the rest of the metro area with homes priced on average around $30,000 each, water system infrastructure has never been built in the community.
Residents haul the water they need in tanks from other parts of the city and El Paso County.
But now, El Paso County officials have secured a $2.3 million loan that will allow for the construction of both new distribution lines, as well as thirteen new fire hydrants.
If additional funding for the project can be secured, it is thought that work on the new water system might begin before the end of this year.
By Garry Boulard
