ROBSTOWN, Tx — A proposed groundwater water desalination project in South Texas has sparked concerns from area residents concerned about environmental impacts.
The controversy centers on a facility that would treat up to 3 million gallons of brackish groundwater daily for the South Texas Water Authority (STWA), with potential expansion to serve Corpus Christi.
Robstown resident Myra Alaniz said community frustration is mounting over the project's development.
"I know people are upset right now and as the months go by they are getting more and more upset," Alaniz said.
Alaniz expressed concerns about industrial development in the area. "The background behind me is going to be full of industry and it will completely affect the lifestyle of our community," she said.
She described her community's priorities as "working, coming home, eating, getting their kids to school" and said residents "are not concerned about what our city officials are doing."
Alaniz questioned who would benefit from the large-scale water project. "So who is really gaining from this water? Is it the community with increased taxes and water bills or is it the industry in which they get the water they need to make billions of dollars in profit?" she asked.
She also raised concerns about the economic impact on residents. "What is it that you're teaching younger people? That it's okay to take advantage of poor communities because that's exactly what's happening," Alaniz said.
"That groundwater should be the water our community can count on in dire, dire needs. But we might not even have that water too,” Alaniz said.
READ MORE: Who controls the tap? Private water company seeks long-term deal in South Texas
READ MORE: Corpus Christi's Water Gamble: Behind the promises, a deal built on unknowns
READ MORE: Corpus Christi leaders question groundwater deal as critical studies remain incomplete
Seven Seas Water Group CEO Henry Charrabé addressed community concerns in an interview with KRIS 6 News, clarifying several aspects of the project.
Charrabé said his company has not committed to any specific waste discharge method, contrary to some public assumptions about Baffin Bay discharge.
"We as Seven Seas Water Group have never announced that we're gonna surface water discharge or discharge into the bay," Charrabé said. "We will look for the best alternative in cooperation and permitting with TCEQ."
Last week, the South Texas Water Authority board of directors voted to remove Baffin Bay as a potential discharge point.
In an interview with KRIS 6 News Charrabé said deep well injection appears most likely. "The most likely scenario at this point is probably that it's going to be a deep well injection, just like you have anywhere else in Texas," Charrabé said, noting that "you have about 48,000 deep well injection wells in Texas."
Charrabé said hydrological and discharge studies are ongoing, with "draft results expected by the end of August or early September."
He referenced long-standing water challenges in the region, stating that 15 years ago, former Governor Rick Perry told him that "$3.2 billion of private investment are waiting to go into South Texas based on the lack of water sustainability."
He described the project as addressing "drought-stricken areas, population growth" and converting "unusable brackish water" into "drinking water."
