A State-of-the-Art Desalination Facility
The Southmost Regional Water Authority operates one of the largest brackish groundwater desalination plants in Texas. Using membrane technology, the facility treats salty groundwater drawn from the Gulf Coast Aquifer and turns it into high-quality drinking water — providing an alternate source of supply that reduces the region's reliance on the Rio Grande River.
10 MGD
Daily capacity
20
Production wells
8
RO trains
99.6%
Salt rejection
How the Plant Works
Treatment happens in several stages — from pumping brackish groundwater out of deep wells, through microfiltration and reverse osmosis, to final stabilization and disinfection before the water enters the distribution system.
Reducing Reliance on the Rio Grande
At its current capacity of 10 million gallons per day, the plant can save approximately 11,200 acre-feet of surface water diversions from the Rio Grande each year. That makes the SRWA facility a cornerstone of regional water-supply resilience in the face of recurring drought.