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Port, City of Corpus Christi leadership weigh in on desal discussion

Port of C.C. Board Chair Charlie Zahn said the Port wants to help the city because an uninterruptible water supply is the first thing potential industries ask about.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two newly elected Corpus Christi City Council members have expressed their opposition to the Port of Corpus Christi's desalination plant.

The people that we're elected over the last month understand the significance of an entity in the Coastal Bend getting a desal plant. It's one of the biggest issues, not only here, but in Texas," said Port of C.C. Board Chair Charlie Zahn.

While the city is working on it's own plant, Zahn said the Port wants to help the city because an uninterruptible water supply is the first thing potential industries asks about.

"We did desal because we couldn't get the city of Corpus Christi for years to look at it seriously," Zahn said. "I believe with the new make up of the city council that goes into office the first of January that they're going to be more responsive to our reaching out to them to try and help with desal."

Newly reelected At-Large Councilmember Mike Pusley believes it's too late in the process for the council to make significant changes in the desal permitting procedure.

"We certainly could take advantage of the work the Port has done. Because we both kind of went at it in a different direction. They got an intake permit. We have the discharge permit. So you learn things from both of those processes," Pusley said. 

He adds that the city provides water to over half-a-million customers in the Coastal Bend and areas to the north. So the Port's help would be welcome.

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