PORT ARANSAS, Texas — A new luxury development in Port Aransas is moving forward with plans for a public waterpark despite ongoing drought conditions in the Coastal Bend, using private water wells and innovative conservation methods to address water concerns.
Spoonbill Bay, currently under construction along Highway 361, will feature 200 luxury cottages, private pools, and Spoonbill Lagoon — a public waterpark complete with splash pads, water slides, and a lazy river.
"We drilled two water wells thus far we're in the process of drilling a third. We're putting in extensive water treatment so that we can operate our facility and our community independently," Willard Hammonds III, CEO of Spoonbill Bay, said.
The waterpark announcement comes as the region faces drought conditions and following the closure of Hurricane Alley waterpark, raising questions about water usage in the area.
Johnny Blevins, president and CEO of Philippians 2:3 Consulting, explained that the waterpark will function as its own treatment facility.
"One of the things people see when they see waterparks is 'oh my goodness look at the amount of water they're going to use.' We are a treatment facility in of ourself so we are continually filtering and treating the water," Blevins said.
The private wells will serve as the primary water source for Spoonbill Lagoon's operations, though Hammonds noted this arrangement is temporary.
"It is really just in the short-term until the city figures out what we are doing moving forward," Hammonds said.
Beyond the wells, Spoonbill Bay has implemented additional water conservation measures for long-term sustainability. Each home in the development will feature a unique irrigation system that recycles air conditioning condensate.
"We recirculate the condensate off the air conditioner into a tank. Then that tank is recirculated and it waters all the plants on the home. So each individual home is self-sufficient so that they're reducing the consumption of water that they're asking for from the city," Alex Harris, vice president of Spoonbill Bay, said.
While the development will still rely on city water for some needs, the team emphasizes their commitment to water conservation in an area where resources are precious.
"The whole team at Spoonbill Bay are really cognizant of using the water respectfully and making sure we're not just using a lot of the city water. So the water wells will probably be a big part of what we do ongoing," Blevins said.
The Spoonbill team expects a soft opening of Spoonbill Lagoon in the middle of summer 2026.
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