Residents upset about lack of grant funding for Horizon colonia

A Borderland colonia has struggled with a lack of wastewater systems for more than two decades. Last year, there was some hope in the form of grant money.

The Horizon View Estates community is located within El Paso County near Horizon City. The community has struggled with septic tank issues for more than 20 years, and they say it has caused contamination and environmental issues.

Last year, the El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring Organization, or EPISO, and the Border Interfaith stepped in to help.

The two groups urged the Horizon Municipal Utility District, or MUD, to apply for a grant to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission that would’ve provided between $50,000 and $100,000 to help fix the issues.

Organizers told ABC-7 they worked with residents to gather supporting documents to make their case, including photos, copies of sewage tank costs and medical documents. They said MUD appointed an engineer to submit the application.

According to public meeting documents, the application was submitted last September. During a meeting last week, organizers say the board admitted the application was never submitted after all.

“The problem with the funding, with the engineer, MUD not being transparent with the residents really has the residents very angry and upset and frustrated with the process because you elect these people to serve you,” Adriana Garcia with Border Interfaith said.

ABC-7 contacted the MUD’s Board of Directors, including the engineer who was appointed to the application numerous times. After the story aired on ABC-7 5 and 6, board President Florence Thomas sent ABC-7 a statement, stating the district submitted three separate funding requests in October of 2017, March 2018, and April of 2018, including the BECC grant. She added that the utility district was informed by the respective agencies that the applications would be reviewed “with the many others to determine an order ranking in the allocation of the available funds.” Thomas also adds the process can take several months and not all applications will receive funding.

Officials tell ABC-7 they believe residents confused the different grants and added the district intended to apply for different funding last fall but applied for it in the spring.