How the USDA is helping Yuma County community improve water systems

YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $21.6 million to improve water infrastructure for over 300 families in Yuma County.

Specifically, the money will be used to build a wastewater system in the Orange Grove and Rancho Mesa Verde subdivisions, a rural community three miles east of Somerton.

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small toured the neighborhoods Friday morning and spoke with residents who raised concerns.

"Residents here rely on septic tanks, and the old infrastructure, caused environmental challenges with the water table being so high," said Small, who

People who live in the subdivisions didn't have access to public water until six years ago. Before that, they relied on a private company, which residents say had unreliable service.

"My neighbors and everyone had problems with the water; you got no water pressure," said Fausto Montes, who lives in Somerton.

Neighborhood residents said their drinking water had improved since the city took over. Still, they rely on septic tanks, which are expensive for homeowners and can also contaminate the groundwater.

"This investment will allow the wastewater to have a system that connects to the wastewater treatment facility," said Small

Once the new wastewater system is built, the county can start working on the next item: fixing the neighborhood's unpaved roads.

Officials say they'll need more funding, but county supervisors say they'll figure out how to make it happen.

"There was no ability to seek funding to pave the streets because the leech lines for the septic systems are under those streets," said Small.

The USDA said it will continue to identify rural communities in Arizona and nationwide to ensure everyone has equal access to clean water.