The first phase of a groundwater desalination plant in San Antonio is set to be completed next year. The US$ 193 million first phase will produce fresh drinking water at about 50 Ml/d for customers of the San Antonio Water System.
According to the San Antonio Water System, two planned subsequent phases will take the output to more than 120 Ml/d by 2021 and 2026. Water System officials said the cost of all phases would come to more than US$ 410 million. The water system has accessed more than US$ 100 million in low-interest loans from the Texas Water Development Board for the project. Work on the plant began in July 2014 at the Water System’s Twin Oaks plant.Eleven of the plant’s 12 wells have been drilled but still need to be equipped with pumps and motors. Last year the Water System’s chief executive officer, Robert Peunte was reported as saying: “the whole state of Texas is excited about,” the conversion of salty groundwater to potable water. But San Antonio was yet to do it. “There’s an ocean of brackish groundwater right under our feet,” Peunte said.