
Following October's prolonged boil water advisories in Laredo, Governor Greg Abbott has announced a disaster declaration for Webb County, a move that paves the way for federal assistance. Affected businesses in the region, grappling with the impacts of the water supply issue, are set to receive aid through the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This program provides essential low-interest loans to businesses that suffered economic injuries in the wake of the water system challenges.
The declaration includes Webb County and its adjacent counties, namely Dimmit, Duvall, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Maverick, McMullen, and Zapata. "Texans in Webb County and surrounding counties will now receive accesses to the financial assistance they need to continue to recover from the October boil water notices,” stated Governor Abbott in a recent declaration. This statement underscores the government's commitment to aiding small businesses in their recovery.
Business owners in need of assistance can apply for the loans online at the SBA's disaster assistance web page or seek further information via phone or email. The offering of such support is intended to bolster the economy of the affected communities and provide a lifeline to businesses that have been hit hard by the water supply issue.
Continuing his efforts to supply necessary resources to support local communities, Governor Abbott’s actions have included the initial disaster declaration in October following the detection of E. coli in Laredo's water, and the deployment of emergency response resources, including shipments of bottled drinking waters. His recent request for an SBA declaration demonstrates ongoing work with federal and state agencies to ensure comprehensive aid for the citizens of South Texas.