Desalination is the process of removing salt and other minerals from water for municipal, industrial or agricultural uses. The technology, called reverse osmosis, involves pushing saltwater through a membrane that holds back impurities but allows water molecules to pass through, producing a safe and reliable water supply for residential, municipal, industrial and agricultural purposes. This desalination method is commonly used on large cruise ships, U.S. Navy vessels and in coastal communities around the globe. Water containing filtered salts is the byproduct. This water is then blended with untreated ocean water and returned to the ocean in a controlled manner. The existing two-mile outfall channel at the Texas City project site will further mix the water before it enters Galveston Bay. From the start, planners have adopted a conservative project design that will reduce the average salinity of the outfall into Galveston Bay to about 21 parts per thousand (ppt) to protect fishing and oyster industries.
For the proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility near Texas City, a science-based analysis is currently taking place to determine the best method for safely managing the salt generated as part of the desalination process. The development of those plans is a public one, requiring state and federal reviews and approvals to ensure the impacts are minimal and the public remains informed.
Desalination has been employed worldwide for several decades to produce water for human consumption and other uses. In fact, the first industrial desalination facility in the United States was opened in Freeport, Texas in 1961. Several innovations have since taken place to refine and improve the process. In addition, new methods for measuring and addressing desalination facility impacts have also been developed in parallel.
Currently, the United States has approximately 1,400 operational desalination facilities, with 53 of them located in Texas. These Texas facilities all produce water from brackish (inland salty water) sources. As of yet, Texas does not currently host an operational seawater desalination facility.
Source: Texas Water Development Board