WASHINGTON - Water is a vital resource, and our industry deems this critical element as one of the most important. To help secure our water supply, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, with Henry Cuellar as the co-lead of this resolution, introduced a bipartisan resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives on September 13. The resolution comes in to support the diplomatic relations necessary to get Mexico to fulfill its water commitments on an annual basis under the treaty between the United States and Mexico regarding the utilization of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande.

“This resolution brings attention to the issue and puts more pressure on Mexico to deliver water owed to the United States annually,” Congresswoman De La Cruz (TX-15) said. “Not only does it put this issue on record, but it supports diplomatic efforts to have Mexico fulfill its lawful obligations on an annual basis to the United States and, by extension, Texas farmers and ranchers.”

As noted in the Congresswoman’s release, the current water scarcity and drought conditions in South Texas are causing severe problems for farmers and residents in the Rio Grande Valley. The United States and Mexico have a treaty that requires Mexico to provide the United States with an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water per year over a five-year cycle. However, Mexico has repeatedly waited until the end of the five-year cycle to fulfill its water contribution.

Additionally, the lack of water also adversely impacts communities in South Texas, some of which now have to put new water restrictions in place.

“South Texas farmers need water to survive. The ongoing drought means the success of this year’s harvest relies even more heavily on our ability to secure water owed to Texas from Mexico. Otherwise, we risk devastating crop losses and putting farmers out of work. I applaud my colleague, Representative Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15), for working with me across party lines to encourage our southern neighbors to fulfill their annual water obligations agreed to in the 1944 water treaty,” said Congressman Cuellar.

Dante Galeazzi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Produce Association (TIPA) also added his thoughts. 

“The South Texas community depends on the waters of the Rio Grande for our livelihoods. Not only agriculture but residents and small communities are concerned about this issue," Galeazzi stated. "We cannot thank Rep. De La Cruz and Rep. Cuellar enough for putting this resolution forward and demanding action on securing the water entitled to our community under the treaty.”

More information can be found here.

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