CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The Port of Corpus Christi Authority approved a 31-acre lease agreement Tuesday with the Nueces River Authority (NRA) to build a desalination plant capable of producing up to 100 million gallons of fresh water daily on Harbor Island.
The Port Commission voted unanimously during its meeting Tuesday to lease the site to the NRA, which will design, finance, construct and operate the facility.
"Water is the lifeblood of Corpus Christi's future," said Port Commissioner Diane Gonzalez, citing current Stage 3 water restrictions affecting the region.
"We must build a water supply for Corpus Christi, Nueces County, and the region so that we can continue to move forward our economy," Gonzalez added.
The desalination facility will draw seawater from the Gulf of Mexico through an intake structure located 1.3 miles southeast of San Jose Island. A 14-foot diameter tunnel will house pipes connecting the intake to the plant. Treated wastewater will be discharged through a 50-port diffuser system positioned 1.8 miles offshore.
The Port has filed permit applications with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The water rights application seeks to divert up to 350,000 acre-feet of seawater annually.
John Byrum, executive director of the Nueces River Authority, expressed personal commitment to the project.
"I want my grandsons to have adequate water," Byrum said. "This is very near and dear to my heart."
The agreement includes provisions for transparency, with the Port's legal counsel confirming the contract will be subject to the Texas Public Information Act.
"If we get a request for it, we'll provide it," said Jimmy Welder, the Port's legal counsel.
The resolution approved Tuesday includes incentives for the NRA and the City of Corpus Christi to collaborate on water distribution to customers within Corpus Christi's service area.
Port Chairman David Engel noted that Texas recently recognized its water crisis through legislative action, emphasizing that "the state of Texas is out of water."
The facility could eventually serve areas beyond the Coastal Bend, as the plant's capacity could expand beyond the initial 100 million gallons per day.
"Today is a great day," said Port Commissioner Rajan Ahuja. He noted that water security discussions have been ongoing since joining the commission 4.5 years ago.
