CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The long-planned Inner Harbor Desalination Plant remains on schedule. Construction still planned for 2026, completion expected by 2028, but questions still loom over cost and the true impact on the bay. With costs top of mind, council heard staff say the price of the prototype had increased three fold, jumping from $6 million to $18 million — raising concerns among council members. City Manager Peter Zanoni told the council the increased cost does not necessarily reflect the final price of the overall project.
“When will council know if it costs too much?” asked Councilman Eric Cantu. City staff said a final guaranteed maximum price is expected by December.
Councilmember Sylvia Campos questioned why groundwater and wastewater reuse were not included in the project’s earlier phases — something Councilman Gil Hernandez has advocated for repeatedly. Hernandez said desalination alone will not meet the city’s future water needs and pointed to the Mary Rhodes Pipeline and seven wells currently under construction, warning they may not be enough. Hernandez says "we put our eggs in one basket with desal...we need water and we need to find quick ways to get it."
Updates on Inner Harbor Desal will now be presented every two weeks at council. The next update is scheduled for May 13.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
