Around town, this topic has been debated to death. Last Sunday, Mr. Bob Driggers questioned the credibility and integrity of the BPUB and management team. He accused use of deception, poor water quality, poor engineering management, lack of vision and an apparent lack of interest in The Poseidon Corporations desalination plant.

Mr. Driggers failed to mention any of the other current BPUB initiatives related to water supply:

• We have just completed the process of adding an additional six-day water storage to assist in our ability to address emergency needs.
  
  
• The Southmost Regional Water Authority has been reactivated to work with three other entities to develop a ground water field near Brownsville. Phase I of this project will ultimately produce 10 million gallons per day of high quality Reverse Osmosis water.)
  
  
• A reuse project is being developed that will allow for effluent water to be recycled for industrial uses, such as golf course watering and other non-human consumption.
  
  
• We have begun work on a resaca dredging and restoration program which will clean out and restore our beautiful resacas.
  
  
• This project will help with flood control and water supply. It will enhance our quality of life in Brownsville not to mention the economic and eco-tourism benefits.
  
  
• Other conservation efforts include leak detection studies and of course the implementation of a detailed conservation plan.

The Brownsville Weir and Reservoir Project is only one of many water related projects currently being pursued. Our current promotional campaign, with regards to the weir, is designed to inform the public of the unique opportunity that is being missed. To utilize the water in the Rio Grande for one last time prior to its ultimate discharge back into the Gulf of Mexico.

The current phenomenon that exists with the river has never been witnessed by most and hopefully will eventually pass. Obviously you cannot impound what is not there. The statistics utilized in our recent ads are based upon average historical flows throughout the year; unfortunately this occurred about the time our campaign rolled out this spring.

The Rio Grande will eventually begin to flow again. Utilizing the Weir as a management tool to stabilize the downstream flows will assist in efforts to prevent this from reoccurring in the future.

With all the talk about desalination, you deserve a more clear explanation. It is an option that BPUB has spent much time reviewing. Our research indicates that this process continues to be a high cost alternative. I invited representatives from The Poseidon Corp. into my office last December to discuss in detail what desalination technology now offers. The Tampa scenario so commonly referred to is a very unique situation where a desalination plant shares infrastructure with a huge coal-fired electric generating facility. The result is low cost electricity and more cost effective desalination water. If the same scenario were to exist at the Port of Brownsville, then this becomes a much more viable option for long-term water supply in our area. These conditions do not currently exist.

Desalination offers environmental hurdles as well. When the process is complete, a briny syrup is left which cannot be returned to our bays and channels. The same environmental groups, which oppose the Weir, will vigorously oppose this as well.

Will the world famous Brownsville weir ever be built? I don't know the answer. I do know that our board is concerned about reliable, cost effective, environmentally friendly long-term water supply. We want to make sure that as our community grows, we can meet the demand placed upon our system and that the ultimate user will be able to afford the product. That truly is our main goal with regards to water. The consensus among our Board is that the weir continues to be part of a plan, which helps us attain that goal.

With regard to quality, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission recently awarded its highest rating of "superior" related to the system and the quality of water being delivered to your homes and businesses. Our dedicated employees are working hard to eliminate the stereotypes traditionally associated with our water quality.

You have the right to know! All discussions and decisions with regard to the weir and/or any other water supply issues were made in public meetings. All future discussions and decisions with regard to these issues will be held in the same forum at our Robinhood Drive facility boardroom. We would welcome your attendance and your participation in this very public process.

Our next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, June 11.