TCEQ discharge permit application filed for planned desalination facility

EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR), through its wholly owned subsidiary, EPCOR NR Holdings Inc., has filed a discharge permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), a required step for the state’s approval to develop and operate a seawater desalination facility in Texas City near the south shore of Galveston Bay. If approved, the permit will allow EPCOR to initiate construction and eventually own and operate the facility designed to enhance regional water security by providing a long-term, drought resilient water supply option for the region in Texas that is home to nearly 8 million residents.

After the permit application filing, EPCOR President and CEO John Elford released the following statement: 

"We are proud to bring forward a proposal that delivers a resilient, sustainable water supply solution while safeguarding the health of local ecosystems. Galveston Bay is one of Texas’ most valued natural treasures and is the backbone of the local, national and global economy. As a trusted utility provider with more than a century’s worth of experience, EPCOR will focus on the essential balance between environmental stewardship and providing long-term water security.”

Background information: 

EPCOR is an industry leader in designing, owning, and operating innovative water supply and treatment facilities across the U.S and Canada. In Texas, the company currently owns and operates three separate water supply projects and is nearing final completion on the design and construction of an advanced water reclamation facility in Taylor. 

The proposed project, the Bayshore Desalination Facility, would be located on the site of the now decommissioned P.H. Robinson Power Generating Station on the San Leon Peninsula, approximately 30 miles southeast of Houston. Once developed and operational, the facility would provide approximately 26.5 million gallons per day of potable water that meets all federal and state regulatory drinking water standards for nearby homes and businesses.

Understanding that Galveston Bay is a critical economic driver and popular area for recreation—especially sport fishing—EPCOR insisted on understanding and pre-mitigating potential impacts. These accommodations include minimizing intake flow velocity and screen size and reducing the salinity concentration of the discharge.

In addition to the TCEQ-required information, EPCOR’s discharge permit application includes two independent environmental studies conducted by Texas A&M University-Galveston (TAMUG). Researchers looked at localized effects on marine habitats near the intake and discharge channels as well as the facility’s effects bay wide.

The first study concluded that EPCOR's carefully managed brine discharge—excess saltwater from the treatment process—has little to no effect on waters within just half a mile of entering open bay waters. This rapid mixing of blended discharge ensures the bay’s natural balance remains intact.

The second study focused on the discharge's effect on the bay’s wildlife including fish, oysters, crabs, and shrimp. Researchers concluded that the discharge’s average salinity level of 21.2 parts per thousand falls within the optimal range for these species to thrive, supporting healthy growth and reproduction.  

In addition to meeting rigorous technical and environmental standards, the company is deeply committed to transparency and community engagement. The independent TAMUG studies are fully included in the TCEQ permit application and available on the project’s dedicated website BayshoreWaterTX.com.

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About EPCOR

EPCOR Utilities Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiaries, builds, owns and operates electrical, natural gas and water transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, sanitary and stormwater systems, and infrastructure in the United States and Canada. EPCOR has approximately 100 employees in Texas and is recognized by the Water Environment Federation as a Utility of the Future.