CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Isabella Araiza, of For the Greater Good, has spent years opposing the city’s plan to build a desalination plant on Corpus Christi’s Inner Harbor. Recent water tests confirmed her worst fears.
“We’re just collateral damage in these people’s quest for profits,” Araiza said.
Scientists found chemical contamination in the harbor water — PFAS, also known as “Forever Chemicals.” These substances don’t break down and have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm and immune system problems.
“Do they exist? Yes. Do they exist at levels of concern? Yes. And can they impact health? They can — because they bioaccumulate over time,” said Dr. William Rogers, a Water Toxicologist at West Texas A&M and also the person who collected the water samples.
He says tests revealed PFAS levels at five parts per trillion in harbor water — exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s new drinking water limit of four parts per trillion. Without advanced filtration, water treated today would violate federal standards.
In response to the finding, City officials put out a statement that said the Inner Harbor Plant's reverse osmosis system will remove 99% of PFAS and that any discharge will be diluted and regulated.
However, Rogers said the 99% removal claim applies to drinking water. He found no studies proving reverse osmosis effectively removes PFAS from seawater.
“It’s not just what goes in — it’s what comes out,” Rogers said. “You’ll have high concentrations of forever chemicals going back into the bay — that’s a huge environmental concern.”
For Araiza, this is more than a development project. It’s about preserving her hometown.
“I’m from Corpus. My family’s been here 100 years. I want them to be here, I want this place to be beautiful — and we’re not even trying,”
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