An Ultra-Pure water system and salt water reverse osmosis plant built to provide water for the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority in 2013. Courtesy Photo
Two local government entities put water desalination on meeting agendas Tuesday, Sept. 15, while the Texas General Land Office announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with a private entity to build a plant in Corpus Christi sometime in the future.
Multiple options being discussed by the Corpus Christi city council include building a pilot facility next year to test the feasibility of producing potable water. City planners explained that a full-capacity plant could be ready to go by 2017.
On the same day, the Port of Corpus Christi commissioners discussed turning salt water into non-potable water for industrial use.
In August, the Texas General Land Office signed an MOU with Seven Seas Water of Tampa, Florida, also for providing non-potable water for industry.
“The area needs additional water supplies to support growth and industry,” said Doug Brown, CEO of Seven Seas Water. “It encourages creation of jobs and can relieve or indirectly provide additional water to the growing population. It can free up water within the municipal system.”
A Seven Seas plant would produce between 10 million to 20 million gallons of freshwater a day. That would free up enough water to provide between 20,000 to 40,000 homes with a full day of water service.
“Generally speaking water consumption is going up because of population growth and industrial growth,” Brown said. “We are all for conservation efforts, but conservation can only go so far. If you want to see expanding economy and industry, water is a big part of that.”
State Rep. Todd Hunter has long been a proponent of bringing water desalination to the area.
“My whole role is to serve as P.R. for the area and bring businesses here,” Hunter told a meeting of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce’s Southside Business Council recently. “We’re going to need more water to do that.”
Hunter has hosted desalination summits and committee meetings in his role as the state representative from Corpus Christi. He recently spoke to the Lone Star Water Conference about the importance of developing desalination.
The biggest need for additional water supplies in the future is industrial, both Hunter and Brown told Corpus Christi Business News. The Coastal Bend has attracted several international companies to the area, especially around the port.
“We believe that sea water desalination is environmental friendly and is a sustainable water source,” Brown said. “The good thing about it is it’s drought proof. For the long term future of the local area, this would be a good thing.”
Next steps will involve seeking permits and holding public hearings to collect feedback from the local community. The permitting process could take from a year to 18 months, Brown said.
“It will probably take two and a half to three years before we’ll have water flowing,” he said, adding that it would depend on acquiring a desirable site. Currently two sites, which he would not reveal, are being considered.
