US Desalination LLC and Israel-based IDE Technologies announced the formation of RGV-Desal, LLC, a joint venture to design, develop, finance and operate a large desalination plant in South Texas to address worsening water shortages in the Rio Grande Valley.
The proposed facility would be privately funded and produce up to 50 million gallons of drinking water daily by treating seawater from the Gulf of Mexico, according to a joint news release.
Sean Strawbridge, chairman of the board of US Desalination, called IDE Technologies “a world leader in large-scale seawater desalination.”
“We are bringing a proven, privately funded solution that will add meaningful and reliable supply for both public utilities and industrial customers across the region,” he said, citing accelerating population growth in the region straining traditional water supplies.
The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee welcomed the announcement.
“American workers will use Israeli technology to bring more clean water to Texas,” AIPAC stated. “A partnership that benefits us.”
