A proposed desalination plant on Texas’ Gulf Coast has cleared a major milestone, putting Corpus Christi and the wider Coastal Bend on a clearer path to a new freshwater source as drought conditions and water demand intensify.
Here’s what to know
According to Kris 6 News, the Harbor Island Desalination Facility completed the permitting process after the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved its offshore discharge permit.
Corpus Christi has lined up half of the plant’s planned output. On Oct. 21, 2025, the Corpus Christi City Council approved, in a 5-3 vote, a $2.7 million payment to the Nueces River Authority to reserve 50 million gallons per day from the planned facility, which is designed to produce up to 100 million gallons daily.
Port of Corpus Christi Chief Executive Officer Kent Britton said, “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.”…