The Corpus Christi City Council voted 5‑3 on Tuesday night to reject, once again, an almost $1 billion desalination plant that had been under consideration for a decade. The decision comes as the city grapples with long‑term water security while recent rains have temporarily lifted reservoir levels.
State officials urge approval
Governor Greg Abbott, who watched the vote, criticized the council’s refusal, saying the state may have to step in to protect the region’s water supply. Abbott’s chief of staff, Robert Black, called the project “a tremendous opportunity to finally get ahead of the curve” and urged council members to show “courage and vision.”
Water emergency looms despite rain
A five‑year drought last spring pushed Corpus Christi to the brink of a water emergency, with forecasts indicating a possible 25% usage cut if demand outpaced supply. Recent summer floods in the Hill Country have raised reservoir capacity from 15% to 48%, allowing the city to relax watering restrictions. Nonetheless, officials warn that a water emergency could return by fall 2028.
Project details and opposition
The proposed plant, slated for a site in the Hillcrest neighborhood, would have produced about 30 million gallons per day—roughly a third of the city’s daily demand—and could be expanded to 80 million gallons. It is fully permitted and about 60% designed, with a “preliminary guaranteed maximum price” of $978.8 million, roughly 25% lower than earlier estimates.
Opponents on the council, including Gil Hernandez and Carolyn Vaughn, argued the cost, location, and potential harm to Corpus Christi Bay outweighed the benefits. Hernandez emphasized he supports water solutions but not this specific project, while Vaughn stressed the need for safe discharge and reasonable pricing.
Alternative desalination proposal
Council members also heard a presentation on the Harbor Island Desalination Project, a separate effort led by the Nueces River Authority that aims to serve multiple Coastal Bend cities with about 100 million gallons per day. Corpus Christi has already paid $2.7 million to reserve roughly 50 million gallons per day from that plant once it becomes operational.
Community and industry perspectives
Local voices remain divided. Dolly Trolley of Voices for Coastal Bend Energy warned that reliance on groundwater wells is eroding trust among rural neighbors. Everett Roy, another council member, acknowledged the plant’s expense but argued the city must take bold steps to secure water for future generations.
Industry stakeholders, such as Perry Fowler of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, urged the council to act, noting that reliable water infrastructure is strategic for the city’s port and its large industrial base, which accounts for about 60% of water demand.
Political backdrop
All nine council seats, including the mayor’s, are up for election in November, and the desalination debate has become a central campaign issue. Two council members who voted to end the project are challenging Mayor Paulette Guajardo, who supported the plant. Guajardo was absent from the meeting after being suspended for 30 days over perjury accusations related to a separate impeachment trial.
The council’s decision reflects a broader tension between immediate fiscal concerns and the need for long‑term, drought‑proof water solutions in a city that serves as a major Gulf Coast industrial hub.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
