Congressman Gonzalez Announces Over $17 Million in Funding to Construct Port Isabel Seawater Desalination Treatment Facility

PORT ISABEL, TEXAS – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced $17,501,302 in federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) for the Laguna Madre Water District to construct a seawater reverse osmosis facility in the City of Port Isabel. This project will expand water supply sustainability and provide a drought-resilient water source for the region. Funding for this grant comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congressman Gonzalez supported in 2021. 

“I’m delighted to announce significant funding for the construction of this state-of-the-art desalination facility in Port Isabel” said Congressman Gonzalez. “While we continue to modernize and build new infrastructure to increase in-land water resiliency and work with Mexico to ensure rightfully owed water deliveries, this plant will play a pivotal role in addressing the water demands of our region.” 

“The Laguna Madre Water District (LMWD) has been very proactive on Seawater Desalination,” said Carlos Galvan, Jr. General Manager, of the Laguna Madre Water District. “...With the assistance of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Grant of $17 million we can definitely move forward to accomplish our Seawater Desalination Plant here in our area as an alternative source, trying to not be dependent on the Rio Grande River (RGR)...LMWD is appreciative of the support (most of all) from US Bureau of Reclamation, Texas Water Development Board, Texas Commission of Environments Quality, Our Federal Government Congressman V. Gonzalez and his Staff, and State of Texas Governor G. Abbott.  I’ll keep in mind our support from our Board of Directors and our community that have approve a 2011 Proposition A on a Seawater Desalination Plant for our LMWD area. We will still be hoping and looking into more Federal and State Grants and Assistance to complete our project.”    

This funding will support the construction of a new seawater intake structure, raw water pipeline to the existing water treatment plant, microfiltration, and reverse osmosis systems, among other improvements. Once constructed, the facility will produce 3,853 acre-feet of desalinated water annually. 

A formal press event announcing this will take place next week, details to be announced. 

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