Brownsville Public Utilities Board looking to expand, optimize water treatment plant
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The utility for the Rio Grande Valley's largest city is the latest to look for more water alternatives as water supplies in the Rio Grande continue tightening.
Currently, combined water levels at the reservoirs remain low and the Brownsville Public Utilities Board is now looking to do more with desalination.
BPUB consistently provides 7.5 million gallons of treated water a day to different cities across the Valley, but they're hoping to expand and optimize their water treatment plant to be able to supply at least three times more water.
BPUB is working on a feasibility study. The plant pulls brackish water from the ground through wells, then it goes through a pipe where the water reaches the plant to be treated and filtered.
It provides around 28 percent of water supply for Brownsville, the rest comes from the reservoirs.
Not too long ago, the water supply in the two reservoirs that serve the Valley are at 19 percent combined capacity.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen says we need to stay aware of the ongoing drought conditions. The expansion project would be completed by November 2030.
"But that takes time, takes planning and takes funding right? So in these current conditions...we need to be doing more in terms of conservation," Cowen said.
The expansion and optimization project is expected to cost more than $250 million.
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