- Residents of the Tecolote community in Jim Wells County have no running water.
- The Nueces River Authority board approved a contract to own and operate a water plant in the rural community.
- During a special Jim Wells County Commissioners Court, the county judge and commissioners voted no to the contract.
Neighbors of Tecolote, a small rural community in the northern part of Jim Wells County have no running water. just when there was a glimpse of hope for the much-needed resources, a strong no was heard from the JWC Commissioners Court on Monday, Nov. 18.
The county judge and commissioners in JWC voted not to approve the contract between the Nueces River Authority and the county for clean water in the rural Tecolote Community.
The news was disappointing for one Tecolote woman who lost her grandson in a fire two years ago.
KRIS 6 News first reported last week, that the NRA board approved a contract with JWC to become the owner and operator of a water plant in the Tecolote area.
The water project would have been paid for with two grants from the Texas Department of Agriculture that totaled more the $2 million. But, days later, a special commissioners court meeting was held and the county officials did not approve the contract.
“Like they’re not trying to do something especially getting the water because there’re a lot of people here that they don’t have water,” Maria Davila, a Tecolote resident who lost her grandson in a fire two years ago said .
No water to the Colonias meant firefighters trying to put out the fire that consumed her home meant the death of her 18-year-old paralyzed grandson.
“Every time I open the back door, my grandson - I see a cross where he died. I know his ashes are there because they let him burn. If only they would’ve had water - probably could’ve turned it off sooner,” Davila said.
The 76-year-old, like many of her neighbors, has to carry water in barrels. Some neighbors have wells, but Davila said those are expensive and she doesn’t have the money.
JWC Commissioner Precinct 1 Margie Gonzalez said she was disappointed and devastated for those living in the Tecolote area.
“We approved everything. And then on the last day when they had already approved their contract, we were going to approve ours there was all kinds of excuses, poor excuses,” Gonzalez said.
JWC County Judge Pedro “Pete” Trevino Jr. and the other commissioners had questions during their Monday meeting. Even the commissioner-elect for JWC Precinct 1 made a public comment with his own concerns with the NRA contract.
“Even though it was a no on Monday’s meeting, that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop working on it. Everybody has to understand that the commissioners all wanted water for Tecolote. Just at this time the liabilities were to High and several different issues,” Trevino said.
Gonzalez said once the agreement with the NRA was signed, the liability would’ve been on the NRA. She asked the court if they would review the contract to amend it, but she was told no.
Gonzalez has about two months left as the Commissioner for Precinct 1 and said giving the Tecolote neighbors water is the right thing to do - the humane thing to do.
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