- Executive Director of Nueces River Authority sent unsolicited offer to the Port of Corpus Christi.
- He asked for the Port to lease Harbor Island to the NRA and transfer the permits they've obtained for that location to build a desalination plant
- The Port and City of Corpus Christi were caught off guard by the offer.
For the last several years, the Port of Corpus Christi has been laying the groundwork to bring a seawater desalination facility to Harbor Island. However, they don't intend to own it.
“We’re not building a desal plant. What we are doing is creating optionality for the region by continuing to pursue permits which we’re allowed to do because it’s our property,” Port CEO Kent Britton said during a presentation to City Council on Aug. 20, 2024.
The Port of Corpus Christi has one permit and was working on obtaining more, in hopes of having the city or a third party build, own and operate a desalination plant on Harbor Island.
“I think that’s what we’re all looking for is more water supply at the most economical rate we can supply it,” Nueces River Authority (NRA) executive director John Byrum said.
On Sept. 5, Byrum sent a proposal to the Port of Corpus Christi, which KRIS 6 News later obtained. Byrum asked the Port to lease Harbor Island, and transfer the permits to the NRA to build a desalination plant.
Byrum said the proposal was unsolicited and they had not had in-depth discussions with the Port about desalination on Harbor Island.
The Nueces River Authority is a state agency working with the Texas Water Development Board. It's tasked with providing plans and leadership towards answers in water sustainability. The NRA looks over 21 counties throughout the Coastal Bend region.
“We don’t want to compete with the City of Corpus Christi, that’s not our role. Our role is to serve a much larger region and to send treated water up into the northern part of the basin," Byrum said.
The proposal has nine key points, which include having a public-private partnership to fund the project. Byrum said private monies would fund 35 percent of their project. The NRA would issue bonds for the rest of the project.
The plan also includes hiring a project manager and firm(s) for the design, construction and operation that have experience in desalination facilities.
In a statement by Port CEO Kent Britton, the Port wasn't expecting this offer.
“The Port of Corpus Christi is in receipt of an unsolicited offer from the Nueces River Authority to lease property at Harbor Island and utilize permits the Port is trying to obtain, for the purpose of building a large-scale seawater desalination facility. The port will evaluate the offer as it would any other commercial offer to lease property. We have also encouraged the Nueces River Authority to engage the City of Corpus Christi in any discussions regarding such a plan.”
The Port has briefed city council about the Harbor Island desalination project on a few occasions. So, this caught the city by surprise as well. In a statement they said:
“The recent proposal from the NRA to the Port was a surprise to the city and, from what we were told, a surprise to the Port as well. The city will be meeting with the Port to understand the contents of the proposal followed by a separate meeting with the NRA."
The most recent briefing at city council was Aug. 20. City Council was updated on the permits that have been acquired, the permits they are awaiting a decision on and the permits that are left to apply for.
“The good news is we’re moving forward, both the city—we’re working with the city at Harbor Island,” Port Chairman David Engel said at the meeting.
However, councilman Gil Hernandez said there’s no formalized agreement with the city and Port when it comes to Harbor Island.
"It was my understanding that the city had no interest in the Harbor Island project and that's why we pursued that," Byrum said.
“In the past, myself and a few other council members had put together a memorandum of understanding to try and work with the Port on some sort of aspect for desal on Harbor Island, but it was voted down by council,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez understands the role of the NRA and sees their proposal as a positive.
“I think we should participate if there’s going to be more than one public agency. I’d hate to have a facility built that we don’t get any water from especially since it’s right off our coast. It would be in our best interest to participate in something along those lines whether it's with Nueces River Authority, the Port of Corpus Christi, the State of Texas. Whoever's involved so where you can combine your resources in order to make the cost go down for everyone," Hernandez said.
The city is in the process of putting together its first desalination plant at the Inner Harbor location, and selecting a contractor.
The City of Corpus Christi is the only entity able to sell water to the residents of the city. Should the NRA build and operate a desalination plant on their own, it would have to sell water outside of the City of Corpus Christi's coverage area.
Byrum said he's open to selling water to any purveyor at a wholesale rate. He's also open to working with the City of Corpus Christi and helping in any way he can.
The Port Aransas Conservancy has opposed the Harbor Island project. They issued a statement in opposition to the proposal from the NRA.
"Port Aransas Conservancy opposes the Nueces River Authority’s proposal to the Port of Corpus Christi concerning a desalination plant at Harbor Island in Port Aransas, TX.
As written, the proposal requires the POCCA to turn over the one existing inshore discharge permit and the application for offshore intake which is still under review by multiple agencies. There is no mention of taking brine discharge offshore as port officials recently promised. Further, the proposal essentially removes the City of Corpus Christi as regional water provider. The POCCA commission has repeatedly stated when the permits are secured they will be given to the City of Corpus Christi for future water development.
1. Port Aransas Conservancy knows the science dictates the intake and
discharge must go offshore.
2. Permits must go to the City of Corpus Christi as promised by the POCCA.
3. City of Port Aransas officials must be involved in planning discussions.
4. Local scientists from the Harte Research Institute and University of Texas
Marine Science Institute must be included in planning discussions."
In a previous interview with KRIS 6 News, the Port said they intended to pursue a permit to produce 100 million gallons of water a day at Harbor Island.
In their presentation to city council on Aug. 20, Port officials updated them on the status of their permits. They have submitted an application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for water rights to produce 100 MGD.
They also intend to apply for permits for the intake and discharge from the process, in the Gulf of Mexico.
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