The public comment period for one of four proposed seawater desalination plants in the Corpus Christi area comes to an end this week. Both the city of Corpus Christi and the Port of Corpus Christi have filed for permits with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to construct and operate two desal plants each.
The first comment period for the city’s permit request for a plant in the Inner Harbor closes after a virtual meeting of the TCEQ set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18. The comment period on a second plant, which the port wants to build in the La Quinta Channel, closes on March 28.
The other two plants are proposed by the city for La Quinta Channel and the port for Harbor Island.
The first comments concern the request for a water rights permit that would allow the city to divert 93,148 acre-feet of water a year from the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The plant would be designed to yield 10 million to 30 million gallons of water per day.
To comment on this proposal:
- Send written comments online using this link and typing in permit WRPERM 13676.
- Mail written comments to Office of the chief Clerk, MC 105; TCEQ; P.O. Box 13087; Austin, TX 78711-3087.
- Fax written comments to 512-239-3311 and then deliver copies to the Office of the Chief Clerk within three business days.
To comment on the port’s La Quinta Channel plant, use the permit number WRPERM 13630 at the same link above. A public meeting has not been scheduled for this permit.