Socorro council rezones South Nevarez property to agricultural, approves one-year conditional permit for pilot desalination project

The City of Socorro City Council on Oct. 16 approved rezoning 232 South Nevarez from R‑1 (single‑family residential) to A‑1 (agricultural) and granted a conditional use permit to allow a pilot, small‑scale water desalination system on the 2.33‑acre site.

The change was requested by property owner Ralph Loya and proposed by Harmony Desalting (representative Quantum Wei). City staff recommended approval of the rezoning and the conditional use permit; the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the rezoning but declined the conditional use permit at its hearing. City Council approved both actions at second reading after public comment and discussion.

Why it matters: supporters said the system could let local farmers irrigate land that is otherwise too saline; opponents warned the pilot could pose environmental risks, including impacts on neighborhood wells and concerns about disposal of concentrated brine. Quantum Wei told the council the project has outside funding and would be run as a limited pilot: “If you would grant us a time limited conditional use permit of 1 year, we will continue to engage with the community,” Wei said during a presentation describing the equipment and possible disposal routes.

What the permit allows: the conditional use permit authorizes placement of a containerized desalination unit on site and, if necessary, a small brine holding/evaporation pond designed under Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules. Project representatives said their preferred disposal path is to meter and discharge low‑volume concentrate to the local sewer system with approval from Lower Valley Water District and El Paso Water Utilities; if sewer discharge is not approved, they said an engineered, lined evaporation pond would be used under TCEQ oversight.

Public comment and local concerns: dozens of residents spoke at the meeting. Farmer and nearby resident Ray Perez said he had gathered signatures opposing the project and warned the pond could devalue nearby homes and threaten the Mission historic site: “We don’t—the residents don’t want it,” Perez said. Tammy Muriel and other neighbors told the council the company’s presentations left unanswered questions about effects on the local water table: “It was inconclusive on how it would affect the well water,” Muriel said. Other speakers, including Ralph and Marty Loya, urged the council to allow the pilot as an agricultural innovation that could help growers produce higher‑quality fruit.

Regulatory and technical context: staff and the applicant said the project must comply with state and local requirements. The applicant told the council the Bureau of Reclamation awarded $300,000 toward demonstrating the technology. City staff said any desalination system or brine disposal would require applicable TCEQ permits and the coordination and approval of Lower Valley Water District and El Paso Water Utilities if sewer discharge is pursued.

Planning commission and council action: staff presented the rezoning and conditional use permit together; Planning and Zoning recommended the rezoning but declined the conditional use permit. City Council voted at second reading to adopt the rezoning to A‑1 and to approve the conditional use permit as a time‑limited pilot (council roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the meeting transcript). The council and staff said the conditional permit would be subject to the city’s code, state permitting requirements and any conditions the council attached.

What comes next: project proponents said they plan weekly inspections, community demonstrations and reporting to funders and regulators. The applicant asked the council for a one‑year time‑limited permit to demonstrate the system; council members emphasized the city would monitor compliance and could deny renewal if conditions were not met.