Eagle Pass Water Works Employee Missing at Water Treatment Plant Due to an “Incident”
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2022
An unidentified young male 26 year old Eagle Pass Water Works System Lab Technician has been reported missing at the Roberto Gonzalez Regional Water Treatment Plant in Eagle Pass, Texas on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 since approximately 9 a.m. due to an unspecified “incident,” according to Jorge Barrera, General Manager of the Eagle Pass Water Works System at a press conference held at 7 p.m. on December 21.
Barrera stated the employee was present at work on December 21 and attended a scheduled daily meeting before going outside to an open air water reserve tank of approximately two acres in size and about 19-20 feet deep holding 25 million gallons of water to obtain water samples for testing purposes. The employee did not return from the outdoor water reserve tank due to an unspecified “incident that is under investigation.”
Barrera did not state what that alleged “incident” was, but what is known is the U. S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector Dive Team was called in to search for the employee inside the large water reserve tank and as of 7 p.m. on December 21 the employee or his body have not been located nor recovered.
Barrera noted the family of the employee requested that his name not be disclosed at the moment to the public. Barrera added that U. S. Border Patrol Dive Team, Eagle Pass Fire Department Rescue personnel, Eagle Pass Water Works employees, Eagle Pass Police Department officers, and others are continuing the search for the employee until he or his body is located or recovered.
Barrera acknowledged the water from the reserve water tank is being drained in an attempt to locate or recover the body of the employee.
A potential theory is that the employee may have fallen into the large water reserve tank and drowned. When questioned by the Eagle Pass Business Journal, Barrera stated there are no witnesses to the alleged “incident.” The U. S. Border Patrol Dive Team is undergoing a body recovery search at the large water reserve tank.
Joining Barrera at the press conference were Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr., an Ex-Officio Board of Trustee of the Eagle Pass Water Works System, and Marco A. Salinas, Board President of the Eagle Pass Water Works Board of Trustees.
The tragic news of the missing Eagle Pass Water Works System employee has dampened the Christmas holiday in the community. The investigation and search for the missing employee or his body continues until whenever found or recovered.
