Texas Governor Pushes Water Desalination

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Thursday told a meeting of water policy experts in San Antonio he wants his state to be a national leader in water desalination.

Perry spoke to members of the American Membrane Technology Association, which promotes membrane technology as a way to create safe and reliable water supplies.

"To me, it is not a matter of whether saltwater will one day be used as an abundant source for public use, but when and where," the governor said.

Perry said he wants one of the first major coastal desalination plants in the U.S. to be on the Texas Gulf coast.

Last year, he provided seed money for three small seawater desalination projects in Brownsville, Corpus Christi and Freeport.

Perry predicted using seawater would lead to fewer disputes concerning rule-of-capture, inter-basin transfers and regulation of groundwater.

In addition to looking for new water sources, Perry stressed the necessity for better conservation and efficiency in current water use.

Source: AP