Corpus Christi, Texas, eases water restrictions

City of Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, Texas, took another step away from a water supply crisis that has negatively impacted its bond ratings, announcing on Tuesday the loosening of restrictions on water use. 

As a result of conservation efforts, rainfall that has increased reservoir levels, and new water sources, the city moved from Stage 3 restrictions to Stage 2, which permits among other things, landscape watering pursuant to a schedule, officials said at a press conference.

That followed last week's postponement of a potential Level 1 emergency — indicating the regional water system is 180 days from supply not meeting demand — to September 2028 from a previous September 2027 projection.

Mayor Paulette Guajardo welcomed the move to Stage 2, while warning against complacency, noting Corpus Christi remains in a long-term drought amid quickly changing weather conditions in South Texas. 

"Reservoir levels rise and they can fall just as fast," she said. "Our responsibility as leaders is not simply to respond to today's conditions, but it is to prepare for tomorrow's challenges. That is why we must continue to invest in a diversified and reliable water supply for the future."

To stave off the crisis, Corpus Christi has $1.1 billion of groundwater, wastewater reuse, and other projects aimed at producing 66 million gallons of water daily underway. A presentation to the city council last month showed $1.08 billion of debt issuance for the projects over the next three fiscal years. 

The city council has approved water rate hikes effective Jan. 1 to support current and future debt, as well as water system operations. 

Long-term projects being explored involve seawater desalination, although the future of an Inner Harbor desalination plant remains uncertain after the city council postponed until September consideration of an initial contract for the project, which carries a preliminary cost estimate of $978.77 million. 

The city released an environmental assessment that found the plant's proposed brine discharge would have "a negligible far-field effect across the broader bay system." 

The water supply emergency that had been projected for as soon as this year weighed on the bond ratings for the city of 317,000, which have been hit with downgrades and negative outlooks since late last year.

Corpus Christi Water, a city agency, is the primary water supplier for a seven-county region.