Future Water Supply Projects ---- Due to the potential for highly concentrated development on the northern portion of South Padre Island, the Laguna Madre Water District (LMWD) has undertaken the evaluation of alternatives to supply potable water to the area.

The LMWD has pursued the development of a 1.0 MGD Seawater Desalination Treatment Facility for producing potable water. By treating a previously untapped resource in Texas through the use of pretreatment combined with reverse osmosis, the proposed facility would reduce the District’s dependency on the Rio Grande. The diversity of future supply sources has been pursued to improve system supply reliability and develop a drought proof source of supply. In addition, the proposed Seawater Desalination Facility will provide the LMWD another physical location to supply potable
water to the distribution system thereby relieving low distribution pressures.

The proposed project will consist of a raw water intake from the Gulf of Mexico, a raw water pumping station, pretreatment consisting of pre-screening and microfiltration, primary treatment consisting of reverse osmosis, post-treatment consisting of chemical addition, and concentrate disposal.

Seawater Desalination --- In Appendix C of the Region M Regional Water Plan (2006), seawater desalination is listed as a water management strategy for Laguna Madre Water District. In Chapter 4.5.5.6 of the Region M Regional Water Plan that is under revision, lists the Laguna Madre Water District Desalination plant as one of the water management strategy.

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