For English Acres, water is the key to opportunity.

In Jim Wells County, Texas, about six miles southwest of Alice, lies Coyote Acres, a small Colonia with fewer than 600 residents. Within this community is English Acres, a subdivision grappling with significant water infrastructure challenges. Like many Colonias — underdeveloped communities along the U.S.-Mexico border — English Acres lacks essential services, including potable water, reliable electricity, and proper waste management.

For years, the Environmental Services Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) has worked alongside English Acres Water System to address these dire needs. Once privately owned, the system was abandoned, leaving it in severe disrepair. Its water well is non-functional, water lines are crumbling, and electrical wiring is beyond repair. Residents receive non-potable water through 90 above-ground connections, but the absence of water meters and financial records makes effective billing and maintenance nearly impossible.

A New Era of Leadership

In a move to stabilize the system and bring hope to residents, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) appointed Octavio “Toby” Flores, Manager of the Jim Wells Fresh Water District, as the Receiver of English Acres Water System. Flores quickly brought transformative leadership to the community.

Flores implemented immediate measures to alleviate the community’s struggles. With board approval, he introduced lower rates to ease the burden on residents who were paying for untreated water and began installing water meters to ensure fair billing. However, the road to recovery is steep. The lack of financial records and severe infrastructure deficiencies make securing grant funding a complex and lengthy process.

Determined to keep the system operational, Flores borrowed staff from the Jim Wells Fresh Water District to maintain operations while applying for grants to fund repairs. His long-term vision is to connect English Acres to the City of Alice’s water system through a master meter and transfer ownership of the system to the Jim Wells Fresh Water District, ensuring sustainability and access to clean drinking water.

CU has been a steadfast partner in this journey, guiding Flores through grant applications, including urgent funding from the Water Development Board.

A Collaboration with Michigan State University

In 2023, CU’s West Texas Coordinator Raul Gonzalez met Professor Stephen Gasteyer from Michigan State University (MSU) at the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Conference in Boston. Professor Gasteyer was conducting a study on the relationship between water infrastructure and economic development in rural America, particularly in underserved communities like Colonias. Through Gonzalez, English Acres became a key site for MSU’s research.

The study explores how rural communities secure infrastructure funding and the role residents play in advocating for improvements. On Nov. 13-14, 2024, MSU representatives surveyed English Acres residents on topics like community leadership, advocacy efforts, and their belief in water and sewer improvements as catalysts for a better quality of life. These findings will be compared with those from another colonia that lacks water service entirely, shedding light on systemic challenges in underserved areas. MSU is currently compiling the survey results, with CU providing translation for many of the Spanish-speaking residents from English Acres.

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges, Flores remain committed to both immediate and long-term solutions. With CU’s support, Flores continues to navigate grant applications and work toward connecting English Acres to the City of Alice’s water system. Alice has already signed a letter of intent to supply water, marking a step toward providing clean, safe drinking water for the community.

Flores envisions a sustainable future for English Acres. By transferring the system to the Jim Wells Fresh Water District, he believes the community will gain the stability and resources needed to thrive — ensuring that access to water truly becomes the foundation for opportunity.