Good start: Drinking water study in colonias addresses health of entire Valley

An announced review of conditions in Rio Grande Valley colonias is welcome news. We hope it leads to investment in improvements that can benefit the entire region.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries and the Texas A&M University School of Public Health announced last week that they are conducting a two-year study to determine the levels of arsenic and other toxic contaminants in drinking water in Valley colonias. A second study of how public knowledge affects resident activism and elected officials’ response to water safety and security, particularly in eastern Hidalgo County.

According to studies by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the Valley has more than 900 distinct colonias, which are housing developments that lack at least some of the basic necessities of safe and sanitary housing, water and sewage systems and paved roads. Many of these developments are in areas that can’t be developed because they are in remote or flood-prone areas, but were sold by unscrupulous developers who took advantage of residents’ desire for affordable housing.

The fate of colonias and their residents won’t go away if it’s ignored — the problems likely will get worse if they’re not addressed.

Read more: https://myrgv.com/publications/the-monitor/2022/04/11/good-start-drinking-water-study-in-colonias-addresses-health-of-entire-valley/