PORT ARANSAS, Texas \u2014 A new luxury development in Port Aransas is moving forward with plans for a public waterpark despite ongoing drought conditions in the Coastal Bend, using private water wells and innovative conservation methods to address water concerns.<\/p>\n
Spoonbill Bay, currently under construction along Highway 361, will feature 200 luxury cottages, private pools, and Spoonbill Lagoon \u2014 a public waterpark complete with splash pads, water slides, and a lazy river.<\/p>\n
“We drilled two water wells thus far we’re in the process of drilling a third. We’re putting in extensive water treatment so that we can operate our facility and our community independently,” Willard Hammonds III, CEO of Spoonbill Bay, said.<\/p>\n
The waterpark announcement comes as the region faces drought conditions and following the closure of Hurricane Alley waterpark, raising questions about water usage in the area.<\/p>\n
Johnny Blevins, president and CEO of Philippians 2:3 Consulting<\/a>, explained that the waterpark will function as its own treatment facility.<\/p>\n “One of the things people see when they see waterparks is ‘oh my goodness look at the amount of water they’re going to use.’ We are a treatment facility in of ourself so we are continually filtering and treating the water,” Blevins said.<\/p>\n New Port Aransas waterpark plans to address drought concerns with private wells and water recycling<\/p>\n The private wells will serve as the primary water source for Spoonbill Lagoon’s operations, though Hammonds noted this arrangement is temporary.<\/p>\n “It is really just in the short-term until the city figures out what we are doing moving forward,” Hammonds said.<\/p>\n Beyond the wells, Spoonbill Bay has implemented additional water conservation measures for long-term sustainability. Each home in the development will feature a unique irrigation system that recycles air conditioning condensate.<\/p>\n “We recirculate the condensate off the air conditioner into a tank. Then that tank is recirculated and it waters all the plants on the home. So each individual home is self-sufficient so that they’re reducing the consumption of water that they’re asking for from the city,” Alex Harris, vice president of Spoonbill Bay, said.<\/p>\n While the development will still rely on city water for some needs, the team emphasizes their commitment to water conservation in an area where resources are precious.<\/p>\n “The whole team at Spoonbill Bay are really cognizant of using the water respectfully and making sure we’re not just using a lot of the city water. So the water wells will probably be a big part of what we do ongoing,” Blevins said.<\/p>\n The Spoonbill team expects a soft opening of Spoonbill Lagoon in the middle of summer 2026.<\/p>\n For the latest local news updates, click here<\/a>, or download the KRIS 6 News App.<\/a><\/p>\n