STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX Rep.
Rosanna Gabaldón,
D-Sahuarita (District 2), released the following statement regarding Gov. Doug
Ducey's declaration of a state of emergency in Santa Cruz County in response to
a breach in the International Outfall Interceptor, a sewer line that
conveys millions of gallons of raw sewage and industrial waste each day from
Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, Arizona to the Nogales International Wastewater
Treatment Plant in Rio Rico, Arizona:
"I am pleased that Governor
Ducey acted in a decisive and timely manner to assist the citizens of Santa Cruz
County and the City of Nogales in responding to the breach of the International
Outfall Interceptor. The resulting contamination of the Nogales Wash and the
Santa Cruz River poses a serious risk to public health and safety. I am
encouraged by the cooperation of federal, state and local agencies that are
addressing the ongoing crisis.
"This breach is another
indication that a more permanent solution is needed to improve this aging
infrastructure. The current efforts underway to temporarily repair the
International Outfall Interceptor will only offer short-term protection for the
residents of the City of Nogales and Santa Cruz County. Without a long-term
agreement on the source of funding for rehabilitation and maintenance, those who
live near the wash who endured this crisis before will more than likely endure
it again."
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