City of Corpus Christi officials have given their blessing for staff to potentially explore two more water projects — but not before a roiling, nearly three-hour discussion that several City Council members referred to as a “circus.”
At its conclusion, though, the majority of the council on May 5 supported future evaluation of a new desalination plant proposal — this one suggested to be sited near the Barney Davis Power Plant — and opening the doors to negotiations for a new Nueces County groundwater project, this one southeast of the city.
At the center of the debate had been whether either of the projects should have been brought to the council in somewhat nascent forms, neither having formal business proposals prepared or the initiatives vetted by the city staff.
Some council members expressed support of having the early talks in an open forum, with any of its members having the right to bring projects forward, while others criticized a process in which unscreened proposals had been put on the agenda at the will of specific council members, asserting that it contributed to community confusion.
“How do we avoid looking like we’re just looking at the next shiny object?” said City Councilman Mark Scott, referring to the newest desalination proposal.
“How can we communicate with ourselves and with the public that we’re on track, we have these projects, but we’re also allowing other people?” he said.
City Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn had requested that the proposal by AXE H20 be put on the agenda and pushed back on Scott’s comments.
“I think the public needs to see,” she said. “It would not matter if we wrap a desal plant in a pretty package and presented to four of these up here. They’d vote no because it’s not Inner Harbor.”
More groundwater
The majority of the council gave the nod for the staff to negotiate a water sales purchase agreement for a brackish groundwater project proposed by Seven Seas Water Group, planned for about 22,000 acres at Chapman Ranch.
Production under an early concept would be at least 10 million gallons of potable water per day, but it is expected the final version would bring as much as 20 million gallons per day into the system, according to documents.
A representative of Seven Seas, a nationally recognized water provider, pointed out to the council that land and financing have been lined up for the project.
However, officials said, further study is needed.
There hasn’t been hydrogeologic analysis for the site and no permits attained, said Nick Winkelmann, Corpus Christi Water chief operating officer.
Staff is expected to further evaluate a future business proposal, which would provide greater detail on plans, before potentially pursuing an agreement.
The contract, if brokered, would need to return to the council for approval.
Previously, the city had been considering purchasing water from a brackish groundwater project that had been spearheaded as a public-private partnership between Seven Seas and the South Texas Water Authority.
More desalination
A new desalination proposal promising future development of a plant with capacity of as much as 150 million gallons of treated water per day generated significantly more contention among council members.
The plans — which propose a site near the Barney Davis Power Plant — are being pitched by AXE H20, a company formed in March comprising largely former high-ranking military leadership, according to documents.
The concept would be for the company to privately develop a facility, selling water to the city under a 30-year take-or-pay agreement — the plant featuring both deep water intake and outflow, according to John Olson, board chairman.
The plant could be online within two years of reaching commitments for contracts on water sales, he said.
Olson said that although the company was formed in March, he had been working on the project for 18 months.
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Questions raised among officials included the extent of experience of the firm in water delivery, financing available and budgets.
No site is currently under contract, according to officials.
Some council members questioned whether AXE officials had been in close discussions with the owner of the plant property, the San Antonio-based electrical provider CPS Energy.
The council had voted in March to collaborate with CPS on proposals to potentially develop a desalination plant adjacent to the power plant. Under early talks, that would be handled as a private-public partnership.
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A CPS spokeswoman didn’t directly address whether the agency had been in discussions with AXE in a May 5 email to the Caller-Times, but stated that company leaders welcomed “the opportunity to engage with local leaders and remain committed to working together in a productive manner.”
“Any potential collaboration would be carefully evaluated with our customers’ best interests in mind,” wrote Dana Sotoodeh.
The majority of the council gave the green light for the staff to evaluate a business proposal, should AXE bring one forward in the future.
Other projects
The two new projects that have made it into the official sphere join four other desalination initiatives and five other groundwater projects.
The city is currently in talks for potential water purchase from plastics manufacturer Corpus Christi Polymers, is exploring a public-private partnership with CPS for the Barney Davis site and has paid a $2.7 million reservation fee for 50 million gallons of water per day from Nueces River Authority’s proposed Harbor Island desalination plant.
A vote on continuing work for the Inner Harbor desalination plant is expected to be up for a vote next month.
There are currently two prospective groundwater well fields in San Patricio County and another in Nueces County, where there are an additional two groundwater well fields already in operation.
The city is also actively working on a project that would make treated wastewater available to two of the city’s refineries for industrial purposes.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Kirsten Crow covers city government and water news. Have a story idea? Contact her at kirsten.crow@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi to explore two more water supply projects