Villalobos: McAllen’s $240 million desalination plant would serve neighboring cities also

AUSTIN, Texas – McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says a planned $240 million desalination plant planned for the north of the city would provide water for many municipalities in Hidalgo County.

Villalobos explained the regional nature of the project when he testified before the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs.

“What we’re doing in McAllen… is really looking for a secondary source, because we can’t rely on the Rio Grande Valley River anymore,” Villalobos said. “We’re looking right now at a desalination plant.”

Villalobos said McAllen currently has two water treatment plans, one in the north of the city and one in the south.

“On the north side, we’re looking at, potentially, a project of about $240 million, and looking at having about, possibly, four wells at the north plant. And ultimately having about eight wells to produce about ten MGD,” Villalobos said.

MGD stands for millions of gallons per day.

“We’re talking about McAllen. But something that’s very important to understand and realize is that McAllen, our area, is the fifth largest MSA in the state. If you’re not familiar with McAllen, McAllen is connected with everybody. In the north, we have Edinburg. In the west, we have Mission, Palmhurst, Palmview, Sullivan City, La Joya, Penitas, Granjeno. To the east, Pharr, San Juan, Alamo, Donna, Weslaco. To the south, we have Hidalgo,” Villalobos explained.

“A lot of these municipalities depend on McAllen. We have interconnects that assist all the other cities whenever it’s possible. And at the very end, we know that McAllen is the only municipality that can possibly do this; an investment of at least $240 million. So, when we’re talking about the need of water, our secondary source is not necessarily just for McAllen, but we’re talking about the whole metropolitan area and a population of probably close to a million people.”

Villalobos said a lack of water is an issue that been plaguing the region for a while.

“It’s an issue that we’ve been thinking of for a while, and it’s something that we really, really need to take a look at,” Villalobos said. “And of course, hopefully it gets some assistance from the state level.”

State Sen. Charles Perry, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs, appeared to be intrigued by Villalobos’ proposal.

“So, just in a nutshell, the hub and spoke is kind of what you’re thinking of. McAllen is the hub for a regional one million connects?” Perry asked.

“That is correct,” Villalobos responded “We have interconnects from all the cities. And actually some water districts. We go all the way to Agua SUD and Military Highway Supply Corporation.”

Perry interjected: “And that’s at the heart of the water planning strategies that are in the conversation for with the Senate and House this year…  to make sure that the hub and spoke… because little municipals can’t afford it, right?”

Villalobos replied: “They can’t.”

Perry replied: “This is where we’re moving our water planning ideas to.”

Earlier, Villalobos had explained that when water levels in the Rio Grande River are low, it costs more for a municipality to treat the water.

“The river is very low, and I think a lot of the times for us municipalities… what’s very important is getting good quality water, which we’re not when the water levels are low in the Rio Grande River,” Villalobos said.

“That’s the only sole source for a lot of our municipalities in the Rio Grande Valley. What happens is there are even more contaminants that are coming from Mexico,” Villalobos said. “And when that happens, the price of treating our water is very high.”

Villalobos said he supported a resolution from state Sen. Adam Hinojosa that urges the Trump Administration to get Mexico to comply with the terms of a 1944 water sharing treaty. However, Villalobos said, that is not a permanent solution.

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