Why McAllen is turning to a $180M desalination plant to protect its water supply

The city of McAllen is investing to diversify its drinking water sources with plans to invest $180 million to build its first desalination plant. The new facility would treat groundwater from nearby wells, with the first phase of the project operational in the next three years. 

When running at full capacity, it would process 10 million gallons each day using reverse osmosis, which removes salt from brackish groundwater. The facility would share a 60-acre property with the city’s Northwest water treatment facility and reservoir near North Bentsen Road and Auburn Avenue. 

McAllen already had contractors drill four test wells this year and is moving forward with the project. 

“Now with that groundwater information, the engineers can now begin to design the permanent production wells and then the treatment system for that groundwater quality,” said Mark Vega, general manager of McAllen Public Utilities.