A massive 450 mgd desalination plant project is moving forward as Nueces River Authority officials say demand leaves no room for delay.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces River Authority board met at the old outlet mall in Robstown, where several agenda items focused on the Harbor Island desalination project, a major water supply effort that leaders say is moving ahead at full speed.

Board members voted to approve a $500,000 payment to Lockwood Andrews and Newman Engineering to begin pipeline work for the project, which is expected to eventually produce more than 400,000 gallons of water per day.

Board President Eric Burnett told members the project is no longer theoretical.

“That train is rolling down the track and it will be done, mainly because of the need,” Burnett said.

The board also approved an additional $500,000 payment to HDR Engineering for more pipeline design services.

Executive Director John Byrum said the work will start with geotechnical testing to design a tunnel that will carry the pipeline off Harbor Island and into the mainland before connecting to existing infrastructure.

“We’re going to need to get that engineering started if we’re going to deliver water by December 2029,” Byrum said.

The City of Corpus Christi has already reserved 50 million gallons a day from the project. Board members also heard encouraging news about the March 10 bid deadline. At least 20 companies are expected to compete to finance and operate the South Texas desalination plant.

Burnett said those companies would be responsible for building and funding the plant, while the river authority focuses on pipeline delivery.

Questions were also raised about why state or federal funding is not covering the full cost of South Texas water projects.

Former state representative and NRA legislative consultant Hugo Berlanga said Texas lawmakers should consider using the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

“We’re sitting on close to $20 billion and we’re not getting the rain we need, so it may be time to tap into the Rainy Day Fund,” Berlanga said.

Statewide, there are an estimated $50 billion worth of water projects planned or underway. So far, lawmakers have allocated about $3 billion.

Supporters of the Harbor Island project say the funding gap makes large scale investments like this one unavoidable.