Living in La Paloma, TX: what to set up and who to call
Military Hwy WSC Las Rusias reported 6 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×4, arsenic ×2. 83% of systems its size reported none. La Paloma has no town government of its own, so Cameron County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend San Benito Consolidated Independent School District.
I’m new in town
What to set up in La Paloma, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in La Paloma.
Power comes from Magic Valley Electric Coop
Magic Valley Electric Coop (Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of La Paloma. Its homes paid an average of 10.5¢ per kWh in 2025, about $140 a month (its average across Texas).
Start or move service: magicvalley.coop · (866) 225-5683
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Military Hwy WSC Las Rusias
Military Hwy WSC Las Rusias supplies almost all of La Paloma. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Harlingen Water Works System as seller) and serves 17,943 people in all.
6 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×4, arsenic ×2, the latest beginning Apr 2026. 83% of the 3,525 systems serving 10,001–50,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2022–Dec 2024, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. TX1080067.
7 home internet providers serve La Paloma
100% of 963 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 3% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable | 98% | 1,000/1,000 |
| VTX1 | Fixed wireless, Fiber | 97% | 400/50 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless, DSL | 15% | 100/20 |
| Smartcom Telephone | Fiber | 3% | 5,000/5,000 |
| TS Network | Fixed wireless | 100% | 50/10 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 5% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have La Paloma’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in La Paloma.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
La Paloma is in San Benito Consolidated Independent School District.
C−School gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
La Paloma is unincorporated, so Cameron County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
La Paloma is in ZIP code 78586
ZIP codes where La Paloma residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of La Paloma | ZIP’s residents in La Paloma |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78586 | San Benito, TX | 100% | 6% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in La Paloma
Who supplies La Paloma’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Military Hwy WSC Las Rusias (EPA ID TX1080067). It reported 6 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×4, arsenic ×2. 83% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2022–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in La Paloma?
Magic Valley Electric Coop (Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 10.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve La Paloma?
Spectrum, VTX1, AT&T, Smartcom Telephone, TS Network, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in La Paloma?
78586. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is La Paloma in?
San Benito Consolidated Independent School District.
How do I register to vote in La Paloma?
Texas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Cameron County Early Voting Clerk. Check your registration at teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.