Planning commissioners approve rezoning for Harmony Desalting site; conditional-use permit for pilot project denied

The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Socorro on Oct. 7 approved rezoning for a proposed small-scale desalination pilot at 232 South Nevarez Road but denied the project's conditional-use permit to operate an on-site desalination container and evaporation pond.

The commission approved changing the property’s zoning from R-1 single-family residential to A-1 agricultural, clearing the way for agricultural uses under the newly adopted A-1 rules. Commissioners then voted to deny the conditional-use permit application for the desalination pilot. The decision will be forwarded to city council along with the rezoning recommendation.

Proponents said the project, led by Harmony Desalting and the property owner Marty Loya, would treat saline well water so it can be used for irrigation. Quantum Wei, founder of Harmony Desalting, told the commission the company plans “to set up a desalination container, remove the salts from that water, about 4,000 gallons per day,” and that the container “will be solar powered.” He also said the company’s technology reduces the volume of brine compared with conventional desalination and that the project team would follow Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permitting, weekly pond inspections and quarterly wastewater analysis posted publicly on a project website.

Loya, whose family operates small farms in the area, told commissioners the well water is saline and that growers currently “basically are using city water to grow our produce,” a cost farmers want to avoid. He said the pilot could enable new crops such as wine grapes.

Residents raised multiple concerns during the public hearing and earlier community meetings, including potential effects on private wells and groundwater levels, odors and the size and siting of an evaporation pond. Several speakers noted the project site’s proximity to the Socorro Mission and nearby homes. Opponents submitted a petition and letters of objection; one resident said the project is “a good idea, but somewhere else,” and another questioned whether federal grant money was the primary motivation.

Commissioners and staff discussed the regulatory framework. Planning staff noted the draft A-1 regulations reference TCEQ rules and allow conditional-use permits to include performance conditions and revocation procedures if monitoring or complaints show impacts. Quantum Wei said the TCEQ general permit sets pond design standards including liners and sizing by a Texas-licensed professional engineer; he later said the company expects the pilot’s technology to recover a larger share of fresh water than conventional systems (the presenter stated the pilot reduces brine volume substantially and later characterized the improved recovery as roughly 90% clean water to 10% brine in discussion).

Commission debate focused on protecting nearby residents and private wells while enabling pilot projects. After discussion, the commission approved rezoning to A-1 but voted to deny the conditional-use permit. Commissioners said denial was intended to give residents and applicants more time to address outstanding technical and proximity questions before a permit for operation is considered.

The rezoning and the CUP denial will go to the City Council for final action at its next meeting. Harmony Desalting said it plans a public demonstration at the property the day after the Planning and Zoning meeting and indicated a construction timeline that would put a container into service in early 2026 if regulatory approvals and permitting proceed.

Why it matters: The decision allows the property to be used for agricultural purposes under the reestablished A-1 rules while postponing formal approval of an industrial-scale desalination operation on a site adjacent to residences and a historic mission. The vote reflects local concern over groundwater, odor, brine disposal and how small-scale desalination projects will be regulated.

The commission record shows staff relied on the Socorro 2040 comprehensive plan and TCEQ permit requirements when framing conditions and that public comments and a steering committee of farmers informed the A-1 drafting process. The developer and applicant may return to the commission with refined engineering, additional monitoring commitments, or a narrower siting plan for the evaporation pond.