Palmview Resident Expresses Concern Over Irrigation Canal
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PALMVIEW - A Palmview woman is tired of people dumping in irrigation canals near her home and wants it to stop. For years, canals carrying water for irrigation in Hidalgo County were where many dumped illegally.
Maria Mendoza is raising two young boys in a Palmview neighborhood near an irrigation canal off of Abram Road and 2 Mile. She keeps an eye on how close her kids get to it
"I don't allow my kids to go by," she said.
Mendoza said she's lived in the area for 18 years. She saw trash pile up in the canals repeatedly. She has no idea what lurks beneath its waters.
"The county needs to clean it. The people must take care and not throw things in there. It is water, not drainage. The water is to be used for something in the near future and we have to take care of it," she added.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to the general manager for Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. Six, Joe Aguilar. He said his team rounded up a great deal of trash at the canals, mainly old tires, over the past month.
We asked Aguilar what other steps his department is taking to stop illegal dumping in its canals.
"We do set game cameras in different areas," said Aguilar. "I cannot reveal the location of any cameras."
Aguilar added his agency placed several signs near the canals warning against dumping and swimming. He said he is even looking at the possibility of using a drone for surveillance to see what's going on. He is also calling on another branch of Hidalgo County government to end the dumping.
"We have partnered up with precinct three to be able to get one of the deputy constables to be able to patrol our areas," he said.
Aguilar said the constable can arrest or fine those who dump in these irrigation canals.
Aguilar said much of the water from Hidalgo County irrigation canals goes to farmers to irrigate their crops. He said if someone were to dump something like pesticide into the canal, it would be discovered at a county treatment plant and treated before it got to a farm.
If you spot illegal dumping in irrigation canals in the Mission/Palmview area, you are asked to report it. Aguilar requests you contact his department to report the location of dumping. The number for Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. Six is 956-585-8389.
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