This report of the June 16 Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination focuses on the following agenda items:
First Panel – Meteorologist for National Weather Service
Dr. Steve Lyons, MIC WFO San Angelo, TX
- Municipal water demand in Texas is expected to rise more than 70% by 2060, but the annual Texas rainfall will remain unchanged
- Texas climate cannot support the water demand
- The state is currently experiencing a dry period that could potentially turn around in several decades
- Texas is a problem climate in that the greatest evaporation is occurring where there is the least amount of rainfall
- Desalination of seawater is the most abundant source of water available
- Weather is too unpredictable to be relied on but the ocean is a never ending source
Second Panel – Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)
Carlos Rubenstein, TWDB Chairman (Bech Bruun and Kathleen Jackson)
- Desalination practices will provide the Texas population 1/3 of usable water in upcoming years
- Board all gave brief opening remarks
Dr. Robert Mace, Deputy Executive Administrator for Water Science and Conservation
- There are currently 200 desalination plants in Texas with 46 of those plants in municipal use
- TWDB aims to assist in increasing desalination plant production to 310,000 acre feet by 2016
- Estimates cost of $400-850/acre foot (groundwater) and $1200-1600/acre foot (seawater) – cost range depending on salinity of water
Dr. Sanjeev Kalaswad, Director, Conservation and Innovative Water Technologies
- Two studies have been conducted in West and South Central Texas to begin mapping aquifers throughout Texas to identify the availability of water resources
- The varying cost between the current water system and the desalination process is unknown
- However, seawater desalination is much more costly than brackish groundwater
- Seawater desalination report will be published December 1, 2014
Q&A
- Sen. Hinojosa asked for context and more detail on the costs between current costs of water and desalination – cost of desalination has been a barrier
- Rubenstein notes conservation will be cheapest source of water but will not answer all of needs – will need to get committee information on types of water including agricultural and municipal
- Rep. Canales inquired about mapping aquifers and was informed other than the two locations, no other mapping was done
- Rep. Canales inquired about the capacity to store water underground
- The panel stated that storing water underground looks viable in a number of locations
- Mace remarks that the lowering of salinity will make the water available for varying needs
Third Panel – Water Desalination Association
Kyle Frazier, Executive Director, Texas Desalination Association
- Anticipates the streamline permitting process to be in place by March 2015
- There is an estimation of 2.8 billion acre feet of brackish water available in Texas that needs to be mapped
- A seawater desalination plant is predicted to start operating in eighteen months
- Stated concerns with groundwater management tools and wondered if they are good tools in place (such as Desired Future Conditions (DFCs)
Bill Norris, President, Norris/Leal PLLC
- Desalination is not just sweater
- Desalination plants are cheaper than expanding surface water supplies in South Texas
- Higher the salt content means higher the cost
- The leftover salt product also creates marketable products to offset costs
- El Paso is currently using 99% of its available water and only losing 1% to evaporation
Mark Lambert of IDE Americas
- 16 billion gallons of water is treated every day globally using desalination technology
- Covered various project delivery methods (include design build among others)
Q&A
- Rep. Kleinschmidt inquired on certain cost aspects such as how often do membranes need to change or be refitted due to technology advancements
- 5-7 years
- Rep. Larson noted technology is changing but pre-treatment of water is helping to drop cost of production
- Rep. Larson said we need a 30 yr permit – no groundwater district will give more than a 5 yr permit and that issue needs to be worked out
- Rep. Larson concluded that Florida controls the groundwater so they do not have the same issues as Texas – Florida has the largest capacity of brackish water
- Rep. Marquez was curious to learn about potential public-private partnerships that could form through desalination practices – efforts in California were used as a reference
- Rep. Canales also inquired about cost of desalination, pumping from river and pumping from wells
- Sen. Lucio also inquired about costs and pointed to report, stated that high cost is a barrier to implementation
Fourth Panel – Industry Panel
Hector Rivero, Texas Chemical Council
- Chemical manufacturing is dependent on water and needs a sustainable supply of processed water
- Most of the water needs are for cooling and heating so they do not necessarily need drinking water quality
Rob Looney, Texas Oil and Gas Association
- Water is essential for oil and gas production
- This is a tremendous economic engine in the state of Texas and cannot be sustained without water
- Encouraged by desalination discussions
John Fainter, Association of Electric Companies of Texas
- Desalination is one of many solutions and encourages development of ALL resources/options
- Cautioned against subsidies
Tony Bennett, Texas Association of Manufacturers
- Expect $50-100 billion in expansion in state of Texas
- All options should be available including desalination
- Agree with Fainter – no subsidies should be involved
- Water management practices should be a market-based solution in terms of financing
Q&A
- Sen. Lucio asked TXOGA if there are figures with need in the future – Looney said they have a water committee and will provide those details to the committee
- Rep. Larson referred back to previous committee that reviewed water use in industry and needed in fracking
- Rep. Larson asked industry for help on letting them know what water is available in what areas
- He is aware of some information being propriety but maybe could pull from logs information on the volume of water being used
- Rep. Larson said he knows where the water is at but wanting contemporary information – shale plays would have updated water information
Fifth Panel – Groundwater and Water Conservation Organizations
Dean Robbins, Assistant General Manager, Texas Water Conservation Association
- Groundwater in Texas is privately owned but regulated through local groundwater districts that operate in accordance with regulatory options provided by the Texas legislature
- Groundwater legislation failed to pass last session despite the growing attention around the issue
Brian Sledge, Texas Water Conservation Association
- Groundwater districts must regulate groundwater resources regardless of their salinity and develop 50-year management plans for aquifers within their regions
- Streamlined permitting systems should take into consideration its effects on both water quantity and quality to preserve freshwater resources in pursuit of brackish groundwater
- There is little knowledge of the deeper formations of aquifers, since Texas has only needed to rely on surface layers in the past
Hope Wells, Texas Water Conservation Association
- Congress should find an equitable balance between protection and development of resources with a reduction of administrative burden on brackish groundwater development.
- Long term permits in coordination with a checks and balances system should be enforced to create stability
Stacey Steinbeck, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
- Groundwater districts should have the rights to regional planning and local decision making
Q&A
- Rep. King asked Brian Sledge if groundwater districts are responsible for both freshwater and brackish groundwater rights in law. He also was concerned freshwater could seep into brackish groundwater layer if not handled correctly.
- Yes, they do. There should not be regulatory guidelines dividing aquifer lines based on salinity, since the varying layers are intermingled and hard to define
- TWCA has developed a system for groundwater districts to demonstrate how brackish groundwater production can minimally impact freshwater – evidence of this production would lead to streamlined permits and monitoring wells to ensure protection of freshwater resources
- Chairman Estes was curious about waste injection wells and their potential for brackish preserves
- Injection wells are a successful way to remove waste but districts must be careful in protecting potential areas for brackish groundwater
Sixth Panel – County and City Panel
Heather Maurin, Texas Municipal League
- They have about 2% of their member cities (20 units) that do have desalination capabilities that range in size from the El Paso facility to one in Bayside with a population less than 500
- 6500 gallons of water is the average Texas household water usage
- The cost for 5000 gallons of water usage is about $32.81/month
John Dahill, Texas Conference of Urban Counties
- Counties are not in the water supply business – still an important issue
- Council supports pursuing desalination as a solution to water shortage
Q&A
- Sen. Hinojosa continued to ask for costs – he wants a comparison of the current rates to produce water versus those using brackish water technologies
- Rep. Marquez asked John Dahill if urban counties were interested in establishing public-private partnerships in desalination talks
- Urban counties have not discussed this alternative but are open to the idea
TCEQ
Linda Brookins, Director, Water Supply Division
- There are 6900 public drinking water systems in Texas and 39 desalination plants used as an alternative treatment process
- TCEQ will deliver a Desalination Design rules package in Spring 2015 and then public comment will be open with adoption scheduled tentatively June 2015
- These rules will be based around computer models, incorporate current guidance document and an engineering report addressing other specific concerns – among other items
- In absence of rules will continue to streamline process and applying some things already done – so rules process is basically finalizing what they are already doing and will basically eliminate exceptions process in the future
- Disposal of waste from desalination has been learning issue and looked at multiple disposal options for brine
- Evaporation pond, etc
- Injection wells may be most feasible option for inland type of plants
Q&A
- Rep. Larson asked how Class I and II injection wells should be dealt with based on EPA regulations?
- Oil and gas industry regulations are looked over by the railroad commission which has primacy for that industry
- It is a federal issue
- Rep. Larson would like to have this as point of interest in future hearings
Public Comment
Greg Flores, San Antonio Water System
- SAWS working on developing new water sources for an increasing population
- The city’s new desalination plant will provide 15% of the San Antonio water supply
- Desalination plant was introduced in 2005 water plan but did face certain opposition
- Project was thus moved entirely within Bexar county – project completed by 2026
- First three phases will be done in Bexar county but if going to try to expand outside area then will need some sort of legislative relief
- Looking at possible expansion of desalination in conjunction with CPS energy
- Phase I resulted in consumer water bill going up by about $1 per month
John Balliew, El Paso Water Utilities
- Much of cost is dealing with brine
- Exempt aquifer status can help with injection and they have sought that designation
- Cost comparison of alternative water supplies was provided
- El Paso is working on ways to improve water recovery
- Example could be EWM Pilot Plant – create useful waste materials and produce fresh water
- El Paso with number of cities worked with Water Research Foundation to produce report on Concentrate Management Policy Analysis – will provide to committee once it is available
- Underground injection of concentrate will nearly always be the least expensive option for disposal of inland situations
- Inventory areas suitable for deep well injection
- TCEQ needs to provide a Permit by Rule to allow for deep well injection into concentrate areas the TWDB has found suitable
GAIA Clearwater Corporation
- A constructive wetland system will deal with critical water shortage
- Cost effective way to clean water in Texas
- Rep. King inquired about how much surface area would be needed and more about the technical aspects of the systems
- Description on how system works was provided
- About 75 acres, a slightly smaller footprint than brick and mortar
- There are also vertical integrated wetlands possible so even smaller footprint possible
- Have done it in Europe and Canada and just started in Texas
Greg Smith, Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce
- Water is critical to Port Aransas as demand continues to grow with increase of industry
- Flint Hills example –if city doesn’t provide water that crude oil will go somewhere else
Chad McGill, Corpus Christi City Council
- Read resolution which states among other things
- Corpus Christi water management plan will include the introduction of water conservation programs, the development of water reuse initiatives, and the addition of new water to the city every 5-10 years
Mike Sizemore, Port of Victoria
- One of first questions asked by industry thinking of coming there – where is water supply
- Discussion of growth in the area
- GBRA looking into planning whether desalination would be right for them
James Dwyer
- There is benefit in observing water development trends in alternate regions (i.e. Virginia and the State of Israel)
Nita Callahan
- State security should be considered in the development of water desalination plants
Jay Trell
- Concern between the connectivity between freshwater and brackish groundwater when produced in exceptionally large quantities
Bob Feinberg
- The Southwest is in its 120th year in a 300 year drought
Announcements
The Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination will reconvene on Monday, June 23 at 10am in Corpus Christi. The committee will additionally meet in Wichita Falls on June 30 at 11 am and a voluntary tour of Brownsville plant on July 28.