CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi City Council is expected to tour the Harbor Island site -- the Port of Corpus Christi's preferred location to build a desalination plant.
Currently, the city and port are looking at five possible options for a new water source. Four of which are potential locations for a desal plant.
Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni told council members Tuesday that he does not have a recommendation on the best site until there's more information about costs.
That statement was made during Tuesday's regularly scheduled meeting where Zanoni was joined by Port of CC CEO Sean Strawbridge to give an update on how the two entities are working together.
While this is now a team project, the port recognizes that the city is and will remain the regional water provider and distributor.
Zanoni said he has had numerous meetings with Strawbridge, including a site visit to Harbor Island since being instructed by the council to begin talks with the port about the matter.
"That's not to say that's the priority, that's something I chose to do," Zanoni said. "One thing we know on that site, a rate structure, a cost for water to be delivered from that site is unknown."
Zanoni said the water production rate is an unknown at all five sites and will be a big determining factor as to which option is selected.
"While that is going on we continue to pursue the Inner Harbor site that has not stopped, the permitting process with the TCEQ is ongoing," Zanoni said.
Other options include the La Quinta site, the old Barney Davis Power Plant in Flour Bluff as well as evaluating the Evangeline groundwater project.
"Until we get more information on all of them, no one can make a recommendation on what is the best choice," Zanoni said.
Something Zanoni made clear during the meeting is that working together with the port could give them a better chance at more state funding for the project.
"The collaboration has merit and can really benefit the City of Corpus Christi, the region, the Port of Corpus Christi and I think additional funding that is competitive is best available to us if we collaborate," he said.
Some council members are set to tour Harbor Island to see why the port is sold on it. In turn, port commissioners will tour the inner harbor -- which is the city's pick.
Both sides emphasized the need for an alternate water source -- as the area experiences drought.
"We're currently 100 percent reliant on surface water for both residential rate payers and industrial rate payers," Strawbridge said. "We see there are significant water shortages that are predicted across the state."
Strawbridge told council members that Harbor Island was originally planned to pump out 50 million gallons of water a day when they first considered that site in 2017.
"We thought 50 million gallons a day would be enough, here we are five years later, and we are fully concerned that 50 million gallons a day will not be enough, not only for our needs today, but certainly for the growth opportunities," Strawbridge said.
He believes Harbor Island provides that opportunity for growth because of it being so close to the Gulf of Mexico.
Strawbridge laid out a timeline to get the specifics on Harbor Island's feasibility as a site. Keep in mind this was just a presentation and no action was taken.
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