CANYON, Texas (KFDA) - West Texas A&M University announced the establishment of a new institute and its first funded project that will investigate new water sources for farming and livestock operations.

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson secured $2 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill for a mobile desalination unit through WT’s College of Engineering.

According to WT, the project, which will develop units to access and convert brackish water into usable water sources for farming and livestock operations, is the first project under the banner of the Panhandle Institute for Engineering Research or PIER.

“WT constantly works to tackle the most pressing challenges in the Texas Panhandle, and this cutting-edge water desalination research will deliver a lasting impact for our

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