Sunland Park plans temporary berms and a five‑year feasibility push to curb cross‑border sewage and flooding

Sunland Park officials on Tuesday outlined immediate and longer‑term steps to limit recurring sewage and stormwater that flows from Anapra, Mexico into U.S. neighborhoods, saying temporary containment structures will be built within weeks and that a feasibility study is needed before larger binational construction can proceed.

The presenter—addressing a bilingual audience—said Phase One of the Carlos Aguirre drainage project is under construction and scheduled to finish in August and that the state provided $3.85 million toward the effort. For short‑term relief, staff said they will construct temporary diversion berms and detention structures on cooperating private property and coordinate county equipment and crews to mobilize “within two weeks.”

Officials described funding and technical steps they say are required before a full solution: a $350,000 application to the North American Development Bank (NADBank) for a feasibility study, and a separate state application for roughly $900,000 to cover design work. City staff said those studies will identify whether heavy nitrates are present and evaluate hydrology and geohydrology before any binational construction can advance. “One of the comments and questions…is a feasibility study that really identifies the technical analysis of what’s happening,” staff said.

City staff also said the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) and federal partners are engaged in coordinating with Mexican counterparts. Officials said the congressional delegation is preparing letters of support and that some federal emergency resources have been discussed. The presenter cautioned that binational projects often take many years to complete and called a five‑year target “aggressive.”

The city announced a special virtual council meeting on Monday that includes a $150,000 consent‑agenda item to augment public‑works staffing and equipment for summer flood response; staff said the agenda item is subject to council approval. Public works staff said they plan to increase staffing shifts, add equipment such as a sandbag machine and an additional street sweeper, and deploy two loaders and operators to build the temporary berms.

Officials asked residents to sign a contact sheet and promised follow‑up meetings, including a status meeting at the end of July. The presenter named City Manager Depri Grajeda and asked residents to contact him or the city clerk for updates.

The next steps the city described are: (1) mobilize crews and county equipment to build temporary berms within about two weeks; (2) secure NADBank feasibility funding and state design funds to develop a long‑term plan; and (3) continue binational coordination with IBWC and Mexican counterparts. If feasibility and design are approved, officials said construction funding would follow, but emphasized Mexican approvals and collaboration are required.

Residents and some staff questioned the absence of geohydrology work to date; officials said that gap is why the feasibility study is being sought. The city described the short‑term berms and staffing augmentation as measures intended to reduce immediate public‑health risk while technical studies proceed.