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Laguna Madre Water District outlines $72.75M seawater desalination plan, seeks May bond election
Summary
The Laguna Madre Water District presented plans for a seawater reverse-osmosis facility capable of producing 5 million gallons per day, and said it will ask voters in a May 3, 2025 bond election to authorize additional local funding to close an estimated $59 million construction funding gap.
Charles Ortiz, presenting for the Laguna Madre Water District, briefed the South Padre Island City Council on a proposed seawater reverse-osmosis desalination facility intended to provide a drought‑resistant water supply and reduce reliance on Rio Grande surface sources.
Ortiz said the proposed facility would produce up to 5,000,000 gallons per day (MGD) when it comes online and that a new seawater intake and a second diversion from the Port Isabel Turning Basin to Water Treatment Plant No. 1 are planned. “The goal of the proposed project is to provide a drought resistant, sustainable water supply for the Laguna Madre Water District through the construction of a seawater reverse osmosis facility,” Ortiz said.
He told the council the district plans to place a bond proposition on the May 3, 2025 election and said the district must call the election by its February 12 meeting to meet the timeline. Ortiz said remaining authorization needed to complete construction…
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