MCALLEN, Texas - State Rep. Ryan Guillen says he helped pass legislation that will allow municipalities in the Rio Grande Valley to work regionally on brackish water desalination projects.
Guillen said he filed the legislation in the House but the bill that passed was one he sponsored in the Senate.
“It (the legislation) is about public utility authorities. We've talked about the importance of water, and as a growing region, we need new sources of water, and so brackish water is, I think, where we've got to go,” Guillen, of Rio Grande City, told the Rio Grande Guardian.
“The problem typically revolves around affording a project. If each entity went about trying to build a project, one, it's either going to be too expensive or, two, the project will probably be able to produce more water than they're able to use. And so regionalization is the way to go.”
Guillen said his bill is ideal for fast-growing areas like the Rio Grande Valley. He said that while Valley cities could work together of their own volition, the new legislation makes it easier to do so.
Here is a video recording of the Guardian's interview with Guillen:
