Night shot of the old P.H. Robinson Peakers, taken by KGTX 7

SAN LEON – A proposed seawater desalination plant along the south shore of Galveston Bay is drawing attention from residents and coastal observers, according to tips submitted to KGTX 7.

In October 2025, EPCOR Utilities Inc. filed a wastewater discharge permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), a required step before the company can seek approval to build and operate the planned Bayshore Desalination Facility near San Leon.

The facility would be located on the site of the former P. H. Robinson Generating Station on the San Leon Peninsula, about 30 miles southeast of Houston. The power plant was decommissioned in 2009 and partially destroyed by a fire in November 2025. If approved, the desalination plant would produce roughly 26.5 million gallons of drinking water per day, potentially supplying homes and businesses in the region.

Residents, commercial fishers, and environmental advocates who submitted tips to KGTX 7 are raising questions about how the plant’s intake and brine discharge could affect Galveston Bay’s ecosystems, including potential changes in water salinity and impacts on recreational and commercial use of the bay.

Desalination removes salt and minerals from seawater to create potable water, producing concentrated brine as a byproduct. How that brine is discharged and mixed into surrounding waters is a standard part of environmental review for coastal desalination projects.

According to EPCOR, its permit application includes environmental studies conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University at Galveston examining potential impacts on marine habitats near the intake and discharge channels, as well as bay‑wide conditions. The company reports that the studies concluded the discharge would rapidly mix with surrounding waters and have limited effect beyond roughly half a mile from where it enters the bay, and that average salinity levels would remain within ranges suitable for species native to the area.

“We are proud to bring forward a proposal that delivers a resilient, sustainable water supply solution while safeguarding the health of local ecosystems,” EPCOR President and CEO John Elford said in a statement announcing the permit filing.

At this stage, the permit application is under review by TCEQ. The agency oversees wastewater discharge permits in Texas and allows for a formal public comment period once a permit application is declared administratively complete.

Notices from TCEQ include instructions for submitting comments, requesting a contested case hearing, or asking for a public meeting on the application.

For those interested in learning more about the project, information can be found at bayshorewatertx.com.