More Old Sewer Ponds in Texas Being Made Into Wetlands

SAN BENITO, Texas (AP) — More old sewer ponds in a South Texas city are being turned into wetlands to help clean the waters of the Arroyo Colorado.

The Valley Morning Star reported Wednesday that the city plans to fill 10 new ponds in the area targeted for a nature park.

Officials say San Benito will use a $6,000 grant from the Texas General Land Office to buy a pump to fill the ponds, to transform 165 acres into wetlands. The money is part of a $100,000 grant earmarked to fund the second phase of the cleanup launched in 2009.

Texas in 2005 state fined San Benito about $3 million for discharging inadequately treated sewer water into the Arroyo Colorado. The state later agreed to waive the fine if the ponds were transformed into wetlands.