Amid Corpus Christi’s worsening drought conditions, city council members voted to postpone the approval of a design-build contract to create plans for a desalination plant.
In a 7-2 vote early Wednesday morning, the council members approved postponing further consideration of the proposed Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant project until September.
The decision came after a lengthy discussion during Tuesday’s city council meeting–which lasted until 2:20 a.m Wednesday–on the environmental impact that a desalination plant project would have in the bay area.
This discussion followed the release of an assessment conducted by 13 scientists affiliated with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Harte Research Institute and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.
Although the scientists acknowledged “the region’s water challenges” and that the desalination of seawater is a “sustainable, drought-proof long-term water supply solution,” they argued that additional “peer evaluation and analysis” is needed to ensure possible effects on environmental impacts can be fully determined.
According to Kiii News, preliminary modeling results of the project suggest that the desalination discharge could “increase water-column stratification in the Inner Harbor and Corpus Christi Ship Channel.” This has the potential to increase the likelihood of “low-oxygen conditions harmful to marine life.”
The decision follows an approximately year-long division between council members over the project.
Supporters of the proposal argue that desalination is a needed long-term project and that environmental concerns have been “researched and affirmed” several times. But those who oppose the plan argue that it should be placed on the ballot for voters to decide and that despite several revisions to the plans, nothing has actually changed.
The cost to design the proposed plant, along with developing an estimate of the project’s total cost, would be $78.6 million, with the entire project costing approximately $978.77 million. Previous approximate costs put the project at around $1.3 billion.
Kiii News reports that Gov. Greg Abbott has criticized the council members’ decision and accused them of failing to meet the city’s water needs, despite receiving $800 million from the state to fund water projects.
The city council is currently planning to reconsider the subject on September 1, which is also the date the council plans to vote on the city’s 2026-2028 fiscal year budget.
