Hueco Tanks residents concerned about increasing water delivery costs, shady practices - KFOX El Paso

Hueco Tanks residents concerned about increasing water delivery costs, shady practices

EL PASO, Texas [KFOX14] — Residents in Hueco Tanks are sounding the alarm to the price they pay for water due to only having one option of water delivery.

Donald Meier, the president of the Hueco Tanks Neighborhood Association said the company from which they get their water loads, Lujan Trucking Inc. has been raising the prices over the past years without a warning.

“We need fair and accurate pricing on stuff, most people out here don’t have any money,” said Meier.

Meier added a water load which has 2,500 gallons of water and lasts about two weeks depending on the use, costs him $120.

Marcos Santos, a resident of Hueco Tanks said that some residents pay up to $6,000 a year for their water deliveries which he believes is an unfair amount.

In addition Meier said he’s also been dealing with other issues with the company such as them not delivering the full load to residents and unfair price increases.

KFOX14 contacted Ernesto Lujan, part-owner of Lujan Trucking Inc. to get a response to the claim of unfair price increases and customers not receiving their full loads.

“The increase comes from the City of El Paso which is passed onto the Lower Valley and they pass their increase to us, but they don’t seem to understandsometimes they just want us to fill their tank all the way to the top but our tank is bigger than what we haul,” Lujan said.

However Meier said he has reason to believe Lujan is not getting the water he delivers from the Lower Valley District but rather from a pipe about 12 miles down his road, which adds to his reasoning of unfair pricing.

“We took pictures of them, different times, different days to prove to the county, cause they gave them the same story that everyone had to go to the Lower Valley water district place, they don’t, it's 12 miles from here to that pipe stand,” said Meier.

While residents such as Dom and Marcos are the ones raising the concerns, they said it's not just about the impact to them but the nearly 600 people who live in Hueco Tanks.

El Paso County Commissioner Carlos Leon who oversees the Hueco Tanks area said they are aware of some issues between Lujan Trucking Inc. and the residents, and are working to bring both sides a solution.

“The county has put together an emergency plan to supply all the people out there with water, number two if they’re raising their rates, we also have a plan with Lujan to meter their water better to better give the residents a better rate, that’s more fair,” said Leon.

The emergency plan includes tapping into a county water that’s metered into the truck and it’s delivered in a more fair and equitable way, according to Leon.

When asked why the county is unable to connect the Waco Tanks area to the county’s water system, Commissioner Leon referenced the eastside neighborhood by Square Dance Road and how long it took for those residents to connect to county services.

“Waco Tanks is still way out there and it’s going to take a long, long time before those services reach Waco Tanks but in the meantime we’re working with them, working on several plans to be able to get them some good clean water at a fair price.”

Meier added while he appreciates the help and plans, he said it needs to happen before the prices increase even more.

“Since Lujan has taken over it was $80 when I joined, cause I was with Flexer, the other business that went out of business and it was $65 with him so it’s gone up $40 dollars in five years.”

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