Corpus Christi water blend loses Colorado River water due to drought conditions

It looks as if Corpus Christi Water (CCW), formally known as Corpus Christi Water Utilities, is having to change course on its recent announcement that the city would be adding water from the Colorado River to its water blend.

This water began reaching customers’ homes on Wednesday, May 11, but now the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) intends to curtail or suspend contractual access to water from the Colorado River due to the ongoing drought. The city of Corpus Christi said it receives 20% of its water from the Colorado River, which is one of four water supply sources for CCW along with Lake Texana, Lake Corpus Christi in Mathis  and Choke Canyon.

In a statement, the city said based on reports from the National Weather Service, drought conditions in the region and Colorado River Basin may persist throughout the summer and into the fall.

“Five hundred thousand residents in the South Texas region depend on Corpus Christi for water, and we will keep you informed as the severe drought that continues to grip the State of Texas continues,” Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni said.

Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo added, “The city council and I continue to keep water security a top priority.

“This underscores why the region needs a drought-proof water source.”

On that note, Corpus Christi announced on May 10 that it was preparing final contract documents to purchase property for a seawater desalination plant.

The city said the contract documents to be completed include the purchase of approximately 12.5 acres of property and 11 acres of easements from Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi LLC and related entities in the vicinity of Nueces Bay Boulevard, Broadway Street and the Inner Harbor in the amount of $5,455,000.

The purchase would be funded through a low-interest State Water Implementation Fund for Texas loan that has already been approved for the city by the Texas Water Development Board. The city’s water rate model sufficiently covers the loan repayment.

•pgonzales@mysoutex.com•