Corpus Christi Faces Uncertain Water Future as City Cancels Desalination Plan

The Corpus Christi, Texas city council canceled the contract for a proposed seawater desalination plant, putting the city’s water supply in jeopardy, reports Dylan Baddour in The Texas Tribune.

“The plant was first proposed to meet the water demands of industrial facilities that wanted to build around Corpus Christi, a refinery hub on the South Texas coast. But its cost ballooned from initial estimates of $160 million in 2019 to $1.2 billion last month.” Councilmembers said the city must find other ways to get water to the local oil refineries. However, oil companies had already begun using municipal water supplies, which are dangerously low after a seven-year drought.

“Without additional water supply, Corpus Christi could face an emergency situation by December 2026, city officials said, forcing a 25% reduction of water use by the large industrial users.” But speakers at a contentious, marathon council meeting railed against the project, citing concerns about the cost and its potential impacts on local ecology. 

One of the main concerns from city council members was the dramatic rise in the cost estimate of the project, which went from $222 million to $1.2 billion. “A representative from Freese and Nichols, the engineering contractor managing the project for Corpus Christi, said industry building costs nearly doubled between 2020 and 2024, while the capacity of the city’s plant design also grew.”

The city will now explore other ways to increase their water supply such as groundwater importing and wastewater recycling.