CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Community members gathered outside Corpus Christi City Hall, on Tuesday, voicing concerns over the $1.2 billion Inner Harbor Desalination Plant and its potential environmental and community impacts.
“We deserve democracy. Democracy over our water solutions,” Armon Alex, member of Gulf of Mexico Youth Climate Summit, said.
Jake Hernandez with the Texas Campaign for the Environment echoed those concerns.
“The desalination project is a bad deal for residents, no matter the cost,” Hernandez added.
The Inner Harbor Desalination Project had been paused in September after city leaders raised questions about funding and environmental impacts. On Tuesday, the proposal returned to the city council agenda, with City Manager Peter Zanoni presenting it as a plan that comes at no direct cost to the city.
“Water conservation and reuse should be the first alternatives considered by the City of Corpus Christi or any other water providers when evaluating additional sources of water for the community and industry,” Texas Coastal Bend Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation member, Neil McQueen, said during Tuesday's press conference.
The mayor of Taft and program director of Chispa Texas, Elida Castillo, echoed the concerns.
“This is not what’s going to impact us now, but also for the future. We are concerned about desalination. We are concerned about the quality of water in our bays. They have not tested that water,” Castillo said.
Neighbors have also showed support for those living near the Inner Harbor and Hillcrest-Washington Coles neighborhoods.
Mona Lyttle, a Hillcrest resident and member of the Hillcrest Resident Association spoke during the press conference as well.
“We in Hillcrest, we are saying ‘no’ to desal, from the beginning, to the end, to our last breath," Lyttle said.
“It takes our community to stand up and say what is happening in Hillcrest is not okay. Because if it’s going to happen there, it will happen to your neighborhood eventually," Alex mentioned to Neighborhood News Reporter, Alexis Scott.
The project, initially introduced as a long-term solution to Corpus Christi’s water supply challenges, has faced criticism for its potential environmental effects, cost, and impacts on surrounding communities. City officials have maintained that the project could secure additional water capacity while minimizing financial risk to the city.
Neighbors at Tuesday's press conference outside city hall said they plan to continue pressuring city leaders as the project moves forward.
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