WEST ODESSA, Texas — Water is a precious commodity in west Texas and a basic need to sustain life. However, there are people in West Odessa that have little to no water to use.
The Ector County Utility District is trying to fix that.
"But our master water plan is taking care of our existing structure out here today, adding to it, going in and taking our deficiencies whether it’s a pressure problem or a volume problem and fixing that," Tommy Ervin, president of ECUD, said.
It's not a quick fix and all of the issues that people in West Odessa are experiencing is being addressed in ECUD's master plan.
Ector County received over $16 million this year from the federal government and are expected to receive the same amount next year. County judge Debi Hays said that some of that money could be used for water and sewer.
"There has been a draft and in that draft again is water and sewer. Well it’s at the bottom of the list of the items it can be used for, but for me it’s at the top of the list," Hays said.
County Commissioner, Precinct 1, Mike Gardner has told his constituents to help him by taking action and reaching out to the other county commissioners to get them on board with voting in favor of allocating some of those funds for water out in West Odessa.
"It’s very important that your feelings get sent back to the court whenever we’re up there making the decision that everybody knows hey this is huge to everybody, this is what everybody wants. They would rather have their money spent this way than they would this way," Gardner said.