MISSION, Texas - In economic development, we talk a lot about the ingredients for growth, roads, broadband and workforce but the truth is, none of that works without water.
Water is the foundation for every home we build, every business park we design and every factory we hope we try to land. The Rio Grande is our growth engine. When it flows, our communities move forward. But when deliveries fall short, everything slows down: construction, investment and confidence. Developers can not plan, investors hesitate and local governments are left scrambling to stretch budgets that are already tight.
In Elsa, we are already paying almost three times as much for our water than we were a couple of years ago. That starts to strain families and our city operations. It is not a hypothetical issue, it is something that we are facing today. The truth is, we can not afford to keep playing catch-up. Towns like Elsa are not big enough to solve these problems alone, but we are big enough to speak up and say that this is not sustainable.
The 1944 Water Treaty is not just an environmental agreement, it is a trade issue. Water drives production, labor and infrastructure — the very sectors the USMCA was designed to strengthen. If we tie the 1944 water treaty to the USMCA, we create a system that ensures predictability and accountability. Because without reliable water, our region's economic engine fails. When that happens, it affects not just agriculture, but housing, jobs and the sustainability of entire communities. Elsa may be small, but we see the big picture. It is the perfect size to raise our voice and to clearly say that we need water for growth. Water is investment and water is opportunity.
My message today is simple. Let us make sure that every voice in the valley is heard. Submit a comment and tell our leaders that we need water security. Because when the river flows, so does our opportunity.
Editor's Note: The above commentary formed part of the U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty discussion Daniel Rivera gave at a press conference hosted by the Texas International Produce Association
