People will haul water and store it in 55-gallon drums. The El Paso City County Health Department conducted a survey of one colonia that had no potable water and found that about half the people stored water in this type of drum and that 70 percent of those drums were labeled indicating the contents were toxic, such as methylene chloride, stoddard solvent, and trichloroethane. People will use water from wells which have been contaminated by outhouses and septic tanks which are located twenty to fifty yards of these wells. Water pollution is not the only environmental problem faced by Hispanic border children. Other common airborne pollutants include auto exhausts, pesticide sprays, and smoke from tire burning.
Unpaved streets leave dust in the area.
Border residents talked about the prevalence of respiratory diseases, throat infections, asthma, and intestinal problems experienced by their children. Although the large majority of children in the border region were born in the United States, the families of many of them maintain strong ties to Mexico. Children and their families visit back and forth across the border. Family members seek both employment and services, such as medical care, where they are most available. Community service providers talked about the continuing need to coordinate programs and services with organizations in Mexico.