CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Monday marked the beginning of a weeklong hearing conducted by the TCEQ in Austin concerning the construction of a desalination plant intended to provide water for both industry and residents in the Coastal Bend.
The Ingleside on the Bay Coastal Watch Association and Portland resident Encarnacion Serna are both protesting the Port of Corpus Christi's permit application to build a desalination plant in the La Quinta Ship Channel.
They are concerned that the necessary environmental research may have been inaccurate or incomplete. Monday's proceedings consisted of a presentation by the port and the questioning of witnesses by attorneys representing both sides.
During the hearing, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs asked Lial Tischler, an expert in wastewater treatment, whether the placement of the intake and discharge sites had been thoroughly researched researched before the application was submitted for approval.
"There would be areas of the Corpus Christi Bay where you wouldn't put the discharge or the return of the return of surplus waters because of the senior water rights holder's intake. Correct?" Dr. Tischler "Potentially," he said.
The hearing is set to continue until Friday.
If the TCEQ approves the application, it could pave the way for the next step in the process. At this point, none of the five sites considered for the construction a desalination plant has been finalized.
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