Contractors across the world interested in Corpus Christi's desalination project
City of Corpus Christi officials plan to have a contractor on board by the end of the year to design and build a proposed desalination plant.
It’s drawn the attention of contractors around the world, with at least 175 firms convening with city leaders Thursday to learn more about the project that – as proposed – would develop a seawater desalination plant capable of producing as much as 30 million gallons of water per day.
It’s among the most concrete recent steps taken by city officials in pursuit of the estimated $757 million project, to be located off the ship channel and adjacent to a neighborhood on 14 acres of what has been dubbed the Inner Harbor site.
A draft discharge permit has been granted – but not finalized – and is anticipated to go to a public meeting in April.
“This project – we’re more confident than ever, it’s going to happen,” Zanoni told a room packed with at least 250 attendees.
The city has obtained some funding to back the project – and has applied for more – made plans for power supply, secured a land purchase option and attained a water rights permit, said City Manager Peter Zanoni.
What’s missing, he said, is a contractor to help helm the progressive design-build endeavor – a point in the process that he described as monumental.
“It’s a huge milestone for the city – I would say for the state and for the country,” Zanoni said.
Proponents of the project have said desalination is crucial in sustaining and growing the economy and population in the drought-susceptible region.
The city has been under Stage 1 drought restrictions – put into place when the lake and reservoir’s combined capacity drops to below 40%– since June 2022.
Data shows the combined capacity of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir at 30.4% as of Friday, a volume that hovers just above instituting Stage 2 drought restrictions.
“Our truth is we can no longer leave our water supply to sources susceptible to drought curtailment or sit back and hope for precipitation to boost our water supply,” said Drew Molly, chief operating officer of Corpus Christi Water.
If the project reaches fruition, it would be the first largescale desalination plant in the state – as well as the first desalination plant in the state producing water for municipal use, according to city officials.
Among the proposed desalination plant’s functions, it is planned to act as the city’s second water treatment plant, Molly said.
Costs
The project more than doubled in cost within the roughly five years since it was first estimated – specific to the plant construction itself, from an estimated $220 million for a facility capable of generating as much as 20 million gallons of potable water per day, to the most recent estimate of about $541.5 million for the proposed 30-million-gallons facility.
City officials have attributed the steeper price to an expanded capacity of the plant, as well as cost increases and inflation since the original estimate was made in 2019.
An additional $216 million in costs for ancillary infrastructure had also not been taken into account, bringing the estimated total for the project to the current $757.5 million figure.
City officials recently accepted a $211 million low-interest loan from the Texas Water Development Board for project costs and are seeking an additional $535 million from the same state program.
A federal grant is also being sought. Other funding sources to cover the difference would include water supply development funds and revenue bonds, according to city records.
'The world is watching'
Opponents of the project have questioned the likelihood and extent of potential impacts to the environment, water rates and the nearby Hillcrest neighborhood.
More recently, a pending federal Civil Rights complaint against the city was referred to the U.S. Department of Justice.
An ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had previously been launched into whether the chosen location of the plant near the historically Black neighborhood of Hillcrest complied with the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
City officials have denied all of the allegations related to Hillcrest.
Molly told contractors at the meeting Thursday that among the key objectives in the project are ensuring the constructed plant would be protective of Corpus Christi Bay, identifying cost-effective designs that would minimize water rates and building community relations.
It’s important that communication be frequent and transparent with area residents, he said.
“We will be a good neighbor to the surrounding community by involving citizens in the project development process,” Molly said.
It’s anticipated requests for qualifications will be issued toward the end of the month or early April – and from that pool, city officials say they plan to select three companies eligible to submit a response to requests for proposal, likely this summer.
“The world is watching this project – so that's significant for us,” Zanoni said. “We're excited about the team that will be picked. The world will be watching you, as well.”
More: A desalination permit is headed for final decision. Here's when that will be.
More: Corpus Christi is moving forward with its desalination project. Here's what's next.
More: A Civil Rights complaint on a proposed desalination plant has gone to the U.S. DOJ
More: Here's how building a desalination plant may impact water rates in Corpus Christi
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Desalination plant in Corpus Christi a draw for contractors
