Why is desalination an important issue in Texas today?
The increasing demand for water, coupled with the state’s vulnerability to drought events, has compelled water planners to consider all potential sources of water in their planning efforts. In April 2002, Governor Rick Perry directed the Texas Water Development Board to develop a recommendation for a large-scale seawater desalination demonstration project. The Governor’s vision is to procure a drought-proof source of water for all Texans. The 370-mile-long coastline of the Texas Gulf Coast provides access to an infinite volume of seawater for desalination. Recent advances in membrane technology have lowered desalination production costs making seawater desalination a more competitive option along the coast. Inland, more than 2.7 billion acre-feet of brackish groundwater is present in almost every aquifer of the State, providing yet another potential source of water for desalination.
