CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A proposed desalination facility that could bring Corpus Christi up to 50 million gallons of water a day just took a big step forward.
The Port of Corpus Christi received approval Wednesday from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for an offshore discharge permit, completing the permitting process for the proposed large-scale Harbor Island Desalination Facility.
The proposed desalination project would produce up to 100 million gallons of water a day. On Oct. 21, 2025, the Corpus Christi City Council voted 5-3 to pay the Nueces River Authority (NRA) $2.7 million to reserve 50 million gallons of water per day from the planned Harbor Island desalination project.
Nueces River Authority Executive Director John Byrum gave a presentation about the project to Corpus Christi City Council on September 1st.
With the offshore discharge permit secured, the Port will withdraw its smaller nearshore discharge permit received in late 2022 — a condition set forth in a resolution approved by Port Commission in May 2025.
"The Port of Corpus Christi initiated the process to secure permits for a proposed desalination facility on Harbor Island almost a decade ago, recognizing the increasingly critical need to establish a reliable, drought-resilient water supply for the region that would be significantly larger than otherwise contemplated," Chief Executive Officer for the Port of Corpus Christi, Kent Britton said.
"Through that process, we have engaged with the communities we serve and have addressed reasonable concerns for our local bay system by moving the plant intake and discharge offshore," Britton added.
Port of Corpus Christi Commission Chairman Gabe Guerra described the Port's role in the project and what the completed permitting means for the region.
"As a landlord port, the Port's role is to manage maritime infrastructure and lease land, while private companies develop, build and operate facilities on that land," Guerra said. "This final step in permitting a desalination facility on Harbor Island is pivotal for our region's search for a long-term solution to water supply challenges, and we look forward to our lessee, the Nueces River Authority (NRA), and their private partner, IDE Technologies, continuing to progress the project to help bring water security to the Coastal Bend and Texas."
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