Eagle Pass Water Works System Employee Drowns at Water Treatment Plant
The City of Eagle Pass and the Eagle Pass Water Works System held a joint press conference at 4 pm on Thursday, December 22, 2022, to formally announce that the deceased body of 26 year old Rodolfo “Rudy” Lara, a Lab Technician with the Eagle Pass Water Works System, was recovered by the U. S. Border Patrol Del Río Sector BORSTAR Dive Team in collaboration with the Eagle Pass Fire Department on Thursday, December 22, at approximately 1:30 pm in a water reserve tank with a depth of 18-22 feet and over 25 million gallons of water after falling into the water tank at approximately 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 21.
Lara was pronounced deceased at 1:44 pm on December 22 by a Maverick County Justice of the Peace, who ordered an autopsy be done by the Webb County Coroner’s Office in Laredo, Texas.
Eagle Pass Water Works System General Manager Jorge Barrera was accompanied at the press conference by Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr, who also is an Ex-Officio Board of Trustee at the Eagle Pass Water Works System, and Eagle Pass Fire Chief Manuel Mello.
Barrera stated Lara was alone taking water samples at the water tank and was not wearing a safety vest when normally two workers do the water sample collections at the reserve tank.
Barrera was questioned if a video was available that may have caught the accident, but Barrera stated the matter is under investigation by the Eagle Pass Police Department and could not respond.
Mello stated the Eagle Pass Fire Department received a 911 call at approximately 9:39 am on December 21 and collected the necessary equipment to respond to the situation and arrived at the water treatment plant at approximately 10 am.
Mello added the first two hours after arriving at the scene, the Eagle Pass Fire Department conducted a rescue operation, but after two hours passed their efforts turned into a body recovery operation. The U. S. Border Patrol BORSTAR Dive Team was called to assist. Mello noted that how the employee fell into the reserve water tank and the time that it happened and the ensuing steps taken are matters under investigation and could not discuss them.
Lara had been employed with the Eagle Pass Water Works System since June 2021 and was married.
Barrera, Salinas, and Mello extended their deepest condolences and prayers to the family of Lara on his tragic passing.
There are many factual, safety, and legal issues remaining to be asked, investigated, and reviewed concerning the fatal accident and tragic death of Lara.
One local ethics consultant questioned whether there might be a conflict of interest whether the Eagle Pass Police Department should be the appropriate agency conducting and leading the investigation since they are part of the City of Eagle Pass and receive their funding by the Eagle Pass City Council, whose Mayor sits on both the City and Water Works System Boards. Perhaps an independent investigation by a federal or state agency or professional investigative team might be more appropriate to avoid any potential conflict of interest issues. Similarly to the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, the evidence and videos are being withheld from public disclosure under the “investigation” clause of the Texas Public Information Act. The public demands full disclosure and transparency regarding this tragic accident in order to avoid similar accidents in the future. Accountability is of the utmost priority and importance.
