Vicente Gonzalez Announces $850,000 for Combes Sewer System Upgrades

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (R) announced $850,000 in federal funding for the City of Combes to repair and modernize eight sewer lift stations damaged during the devastating 2025 South Texas storms and flooding.

Federal Funding Coming to Combes

Rep. Gonzalez joined the City of Combes officials to announce $850,000 in Fiscal Year 2026 Community Project Funding to reconstruct, upgrade, and rehabilitate eight sewer lift stations.

The infrastructure was damaged during the March 2025 hailstorms and flooding that impacted communities across the Rio Grande Valley.

The project is intended to improve the city's wastewater system and better prepare it for future severe weather events.

Why the Upgrades Matter

According to Gonzalez's office, the March 2025 storms brought 10 to 15 inches of rain in less than 48 hours to parts of the Rio Grande Valley.

Due to South Texas sitting at a low elevation, communities rely on sewer lift stations to move wastewater to treatment facilities.

Officials say damaged or malfunctioning lift stations can lead to:

Flooding of wastewater systems
Raw sewage backs up into homes and businesses
Sewage spills into local waterways
Increased public health risks from harmful bacteria

The upgrades are designed to improve system reliability during both normal operations and future flooding events.

What Gonzalez is saying

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez: "A working sewage system is essential to safeguarding public health, preserving the environment, and keeping our communities safe."

Rep. Gonzalez continued: "With this investment, we will strengthen our ability to maintain reliable sewage operations daily and when extreme weather events hit flood-prone areas like the Rio Grande Valley."

The Bottom Line

An $850,000 federal investment will help the City of Combes rebuild sewer lift stations damaged by the 2025 storms to improve wastewater reliability, reduce flood-related risks, and protect public health across the Rio Grande Valley.

Raeylee Barefield

Raeylee Barefield is a Legislative Correspondent based in Austin, Texas, specializing in state government and public policy. With one year of reporting under her belt, she covers legislative developments, committee hearings, and policy debates. She has been cited by Texas Politics and Big Energy for her coverage and analysis of legislative and regulatory issues. Her reporting typically focuses on Public policy, Stare government, environmental policy, and energy regulation. To contact her, please reach out at Raeylee@dnm.news