Council authorizes MOU with South Texas Water Authority as council seeks short‑term source amid drought
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Summary
The Corpus Christi City Council voted to authorize a memorandum of understanding with the South Texas Water Authority (STWA) to pursue access to desalinated or brackish supplies being developed by 7 Seas. Council members called for quick follow‑up to firm up quantities and prices before a September deadline cited by STWA.
The Corpus Christi City Council on June 10 authorized an MOU directing the city manager and staff to negotiate with the South Texas Water Authority (STWA) and to return a potential contract for council consideration within a tight timeframe.
John Mattis, representing the South Texas Water Authority, briefed the council on a public‑private project being developed by 7 Seas: a brackish water reverse‑osmosis desalination plant in the Driscoll area intended to supply a regional transmission line. Mattis said the plant is designed as a public‑private partnership, with 7 Seas financing, designing, building and operating the treatment plant; STWA would be a purchaser/partner. He said 7 Seas is already producing water for the city of Alice and that 7 Seas/7C entities had secured land and test wells. Mattis said the plant would provide a minimum of 3 million gallons a day (MGD) in an initial configuration and could be scaled up; STWA estimated the larger transmission line could carry many more MGD if partners committed.
STWA board president Jose Gravely and Claiborne County Judge Rudy Madrid attended and said county officials supported the regional approach. Judge Madrid described the project as preserving local water supplies and returning fresh discharge to Baffin Bay.
City staff and STWA described an operational timeline that would aim to have firm supply contracts or commitments by late summer; Mattis said STWA asked prospective buyers for quantity commitments by early September so 7 Seas could finalize sizing and financing. City officials said price details were still under negotiation; Mattis said the proposal he discussed with council would set a water price governed by CPI for annual adjustments and would pass electricity costs separately. He characterized the proposed arrangement as avoiding upfront city capital costs because 7 Seas would finance plant construction.
Council members pressed staff and STWA representatives for detail on likely unit prices, maximum delivery capacity on the 42‑inch transmission line and environmental monitoring for any brine or discharge. City staff said they had asked STWA and 7 Seas for the draft agreement and were scheduling a follow‑up briefing and a consultant presentation of modeling. STWA general manager John Maras said the city should decide quickly whether it wanted to participate because STWA needed a firm commitment by September to scale project size and secure terms.
After discussion, Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn made a motion directing the city manager to enter an MOU with STWA within 10 days and to return proposed contract terms within 45 days for council consideration; council voted to approve the motion. City staff said they would pursue the MOU immediately and deliver a proposed contract for council consideration rapidly so the city can make a decision ahead of STWA’s September timing request.
