“At this point we want to make sure it stops. We don’t want it going through our city. We don’t want it touching our land and our citizens," said Socorro city representative Mary Garcia.

Garcia said the pipeline, a project by the Horizon Regional Municipal Utility District, is supposed to dump wastewater and is threatening the health and safety of residents.

The project was in the planning stages in 2006 and construction began last year. The president of Horizon Regional, Benny Davis, was out of town, but over the phone he said permits from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality and the Lower Valley Water District No.1 were obtained.

He said the water would be treated with chlorine to kill bacteria, basically it’s irrigation quality water. He also said the ditch doesn't belong to the city of Socorro, it belongs to the Water District.

But Socorro officials won’t have it, especially when they say they were not notified of the project. One city representative, Jesse Gandara, discovered the project already in progress last summer. Socorro officials stopped the project after workers were cited for not having a building permit.

“It’s very disrespectful. It makes us very angry. It’s disgusting that they wouldn’t show any regard for our citizens and for our city,” said Garcia.

Attorneys representing Socorro were court Monday morning because Horizon Regional filed suit against the city of Socorro for stepping in and halting the project they believe they have all the necessary permits for. A judge heard arguments but hasn't made a decision.

“What is needed is some protection to ensure that there’s adequate notice to citizens and some protection like fences, signs so people know not to drink the water or fish or play in the water,” said Yuri Calderon, an attorney representing the city of Socorro.

The city of Socorro has also filed a petition with the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to revoke or modify Horizon Regional’s permit for the project.

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