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Mayor Paulette Guajardo has called for an emergency city council meeting to vote on the Inner Harbor Desalination Project after Governor Greg Abbott warned that the state of Texas could take over management of Corpus Christi if city leaders do not act on the water crisis.

Abbott's comments put city leaders on a tight timeline, drawing a mix of calls for unity and pushback from council members over how state funding has been handled.

Guajardo said the city needs to move quickly.

"We don't have time to play. The Governor wants to see a water project that he has given funding towards. He wants to see our community and our region prosper," Guajardo said.

Abbott issued a stark warning about the city's pace of action.

"We can only give them a little time more before the state of Texas takes over and micromanages that city," Abbott said.

The governor also criticized how the city has managed state funding allocated for the water crisis.

"We provided them with $750 million dollars... they squandered it," Abbott said.

Council members disputed that characterization. City Councilmember at-large Carolyn Vaughn pushed back on the governor's word choice.

"Squander is a bad word because $750 million the city has not gotten," Vaughn said.

City Councilmember for District 5, Gil Hernandez, offered a more detailed breakdown of the funding.

"That $750 million dollars is a SWIFT loan. We pulled $220 million of it but we didn't spend it all. It's still sitting in an account. The other $500 million we haven't even taken yet," Hernandez said.

City Councilmember for District 3, Eric Cantu, also weighed in on the funding dispute.

"If he had given us $750 million dollars right now free money for the people of Corpus Christi. It's approved let's do it it would be a done deal," Cantu said.

Councilmember at-large Roland Barrera acknowledged some missteps while calling for accountability.

"It's true we haven't really used that money but we've probably squandered 50 to 60 million," Barrera said.

In the wake of Abbott's comments, some council members called for the community to come together. Vaughn stressed the need for collaboration.

"I think the dialogue is that we've got to come together as a community and we've got to work together," Vaughn said.

Barrera echoed that sentiment, urging leaders to set aside personal interests.

"Ego needs to get out of the way and we to understand that we have a responsibility to fulfill," Barrera said.

Multiple council members said the desalination project is a long-term solution, and that the city has already made plans to address more immediate water needs. Hernandez outlined several of those projects.

"The Evangeline project, the groundwater projects in Nueces County around Bluntzer, the wastewater re-use project. There are projects in place that will get us water sooner than the Inner Harbor Desal," Hernandez said.

Guajardo framed the emergency meeting as a direct response to the governor's pressure, saying the city cannot afford to wait.

"Let's show the region and really the entire world... that we're serious about water security and we're not making this political," Guajardo said.

The mayor said the date for the emergency meeting will be set by Friday.

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Corpus Christi, Texas – South Texas residents could feel a dramatic weather swing over the next 48 hours as temperatures surge toward summerlike levels this weekend before a strong cold front sweeps through early Monday.

According to the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, temperatures will steadily warm across the Coastal Bend through Sunday afternoon. Highs in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, and Alice could reach the mid to upper 90s Sunday, with some inland locations approaching 99°F during the afternoon heat.

The warm conditions will peak Sunday before a cold front arrives late Sunday night into early Monday morning, quickly shifting winds and bringing a sharp drop in temperatures.

Behind the front, Monday will feel dramatically cooler across the region. High temperatures are expected to fall into the 60s across much of South Texas, a drop of more than 30 degrees compared to Sunday’s peak heat. Winds will also increase across the Coastal Bend, producing breezy to windy conditions throughout Monday.

Communities including Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, Rockport, and Victoria could experience gusty winds through the afternoon, particularly along coastal highways and bridges where crosswinds may affect drivers.

Conditions should stabilize by Tuesday as temperatures gradually recover into the mid-60s to mid-70s, followed by warmer weather returning by midweek.

Five Day Forecast for Corpus Christi, TexasSaturday: Sunny. High 78–94°F, low 64–70°F.Sunday: Very warm with sunshine. High 85–99°F, low 43–51°F late after the front approaches.Monday: Windy and cooler behind the cold front. High 60–68°F, low 39–51°F.Tuesday: Partly sunny and mild. High 66–76°F, low 49–58°F.Wednesday: Warmer with sunshine returning. High 73–85°F.

Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend are quickly hurtling toward a water catastrophe as reservoir levels continue to plummet to historic lows amid unrelenting drought. But just how fast that catastrophe will arrive, who’s to blame, and what can be done to fix it are all matters of dispute as Corpus Christi city leaders battle themselves, officials from other cities, and now, even the governor of Texas.

Here's what to know about the looming environmental and economic disaster that has been years in the making.

Is Corpus Christi running out of water?

The short answer is yes. Corpus Christi and the communities across seven Coastal Bend counties that are dependent on Corpus Christi Water (CCW) are at risk of running into severe water supply issues that will trigger shortages within the next year. City officials have said that the region could reach a “water emergency” as soon as this November.

Where does Corpus Christi get its water from?

Corpus Christi gets its water from four main sources that are divided by location. Lake Corpus Christi and the Choke Canyon Reservoir make up the so-called “western supplies.” The two waterways once made up the bulk of the region’s water supply, providing up to 70% of the city’s fresh water. But starting about three years ago, CCW began to source more of its water from the eastern supplies, which consist of Lake Texana and the Lower Colorado River. However, those two water supplies can hold only about one-fourth the amount of water as the western supplies.

Why is Corpus Christi running out of water?

A massive drought has been afflicting Texas for several years. During a March 5 news conference on the banks of Lake Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni said no “meaningful” rainfall has occurred at Lake Corpus Christi in five years.

“The result of the (lake’s) decline is from a gripping drought that will probably be the drought of record for our region,” Zanoni said.

What are the Coastal Bend’s reservoir levels now?

As of Thursday, March 12, the combined storage levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon were 8.7% — the lowest levels since Lake Corpus Christi was impounded in 1958, accord to Corpus Christi Water. Lake Texana, meanwhile, is at about 55.8% full as of Thursday. That’s a decline of 11.5% since mid-December. In January, CCW officials said they expect Lake Texana and the eastern supplies to fall below 50% by next month.

When will Corpus Christi run out of water?

When, exactly, Corpus Christi will run out of water is a matter of debate. In January, Zanoni and CCW officials told the Corpus Christi City Council that falling reservoir levels could trigger a “level one water emergency” as soon as November. That milestone would make the point when the Coastal Bend is expected to be six months away from running out of water and would trigger mandatory curtailment, or usage restrictions. They further said that Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon could run dry as soon as May 2027.

But over the last week or so, other Coastal Bend officials have begun to express concerns that those estimates are way off — and way too generous. State Rep. Denise Villalobos, R-Corpus Christi, told KIII 3NEWS that curtailment could begin as soon as May, six months earlier than previously estimated.

How is the Corpus Christi Water crisis impacting the rest of the Coastal Bend?

On Sunday, March 8, Inside Climate News (ICN) published a bombshell investigative report that detailed the potential consequences of Corpus Christi running out of water. Speaking with former Corpus Christi water officials, as well as other local water experts, ICN reported that Coastal Bend water shortages could impact jet fuel deliveries to airports across Texas and cause gasoline prices to surge.

Why is Gov. Greg Abbott weighing in on the Corpus Christi water crisis?

The reporting prompted sharp criticism from Gov. Greg Abbott, who threatened a state takeover of the city and its water woes.

“Corpus Christi is a victim not because of lack of water. They’re a victim because of a lack of ability to make a decision,” Abbott told a gaggle of reporters at an unrelated news conference.

What has Corpus Christi done so far to address the water crisis?

The city’s efforts to address the water crisis have been bumbling, at best. Last fall, a divided city council voted down a plan to build a massive desalination plant that had been years in the making. The Inner Harbor Desalination Project had already received state and federal permits, and much of its billion-dollar price tag had been accounted for through state funding and municipal debt.

The city is working on four other alternatives, including two additional, smaller desalination projects, a reclaimed water project, and a groundwater project that involves the digging of dozens of wells.

What will happen next in the Corpus Christi water crisis?

Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo took to social media this week to call on the council to hold an emergency meeting to push the Inner Harbor project through. Thus far, however, no such meeting has been scheduled. But the council is expected to discuss the crisis during its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, March 17. In the meantime, even the Catholic Church has gotten involved in the crisis. On Thursday, the Most Rev. Mario Alberto Avilés, who serves as the bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, called on the faithful to pray for rain.

In the Texas Gulf Coast city of Corpus Christi, officials are moving forward with nearly $1 billion in water infrastructure upgrades as they face a long‑building supply shortage and new pressure after the governor’s warning this week that the state may be forced to intervene.

Projects currently under construction or in engineering include Nueces River groundwater well fields totaling 36 million gallons per day (MGD), the 24-MGD Evangeline Groundwater Project and a 16-MGD reclaimed-water initiative. Three desalination sites—Inner Harbor, Harbor Island and the Barney Davis Power Plant—have returned to planning after the collapse of a previous seawater proposal. "These projects are not 'plans' for the future; they are active construction and engineering efforts," the city said in a March 9 statement.

The initiative comes under significant pressure. City modeling shows water supply could fall below projected demand as early as June 2027, communications director Elisa Olsen told the Texas Tribune. "We are not out of water, but our water supply is declining," she said.

Meanwhile, the groundwater program, central to the city's near-term strategy, faces permitting challenges on multiple fronts. New wells in rural Nueces County have encountered treatment issues due to salinity, and additional drilling in San Patricio County has drawn opposition from residents. The city of Sinton filed a February challenge to the Evangeline project's permits, arguing the proposed withdrawals could cause unreasonable declines in countywide water levels, according to Inside Climate News.

Industrial users are helping finance new supply development through the city’s Drought Surcharge Exemption Fee program, which charges participating facilities $0.31 per 1,000 gallons each month, generating approximately $6 million annually.

The urgency reflects a decade of industrial expansion along the bay—particularly in petrochemical and energy development—that has outpaced available supply, ICN reported. Reservoir levels have also fallen during the current prolonged drought, compounding demand pressures.

The recent initiative gained momentum after the city council voted in September 2025 to cancel the Inner Harbor Desalination Plant, a 30-MGD facility in progressive design-build development with Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. The cancellation terminated a $50-million design contract at only 10% completion, ENR reported in November. The cost trajectory told the story: early estimates put the plant at $220 million, before post-2019 construction inflation and capacity expansions drove the figure to $757 million at the 2024 contract award, then to $1.2 billion by July 2025, when the council pulled the plug. Arcadis and GHD were among the engineering firms on the project, with more than 150 Kiewit and engineering staff assigned at the time of termination.

Mayor Paulette Guajardo, who had advocated continuing the project, said terminating Kiewit's contract would flush $50 million "down the toilet." Drew Molly, then chief operating officer of Corpus Christi Water, had warned city manager Peter Zanoni in writing that cancellation would leave the city "without a fully permitted alternative." Molly subsequently resigned to take a position in Houston.

James Dodson, a former water department director, told ICN the city had "dismissed repeated opportunities to develop groundwater import projects" while maintaining a singular focus on desalination. Sean Strawbridge, former CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, cited the city's "lack of experience, their lack of knowledge, their lack of recognizing the risks," adding: "Time is up."

The canceled project carried significant state investment. The Houston Chronicle reported $235 million in direct state funding and more than $700 million in low-interest loans approved by the Texas Water Development Board through the State Water Implementation Fund. Speaking from an event in Manor, Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R), whose appointees sit on that board, said Tuesday the city did not follow through on the commitment. "You know what they did? They squandered it, and then they changed their plan, and then they were indecisive about what to do.”

Abbott went further, issuing a direct ultimatum. "What Corpus Christi leaders have to do is make a decision," he said. "We can only give them a little time more before the state of Texas has to take over and micromanage that city and run that city to make sure that every resident who goes to the water tap and turns it on, they're going to be getting water out of their faucet—not because of what local leaders are doing, but because of what the state of Texas will do."

He added that the state is "fully committed to making sure that Corpus Christi residents are gonna have the water they need to live their lives like the rest of the people in the state of Texas." ENR reached out to the governor's office for clarification on what a takeover would entail and the legal authority under which it would occur, but did not receive a response.

Texas Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, told a local radio station that "locals did not want to pay for water, and that is one aspect that we're seeing play out in Corpus that we're gonna have conversations about around the state," the Tribune reported.

The city has imposed conservation measures in the interim, banning lawn watering and requiring residents to use a five-gallon bucket when washing vehicles.

The Corpus Christi City Council is expected to address the matter at its March 17 meeting.

Vince Kong is ENR’s Southeast Regional Editor, based in San Antonio, Texas. A veteran journalist, he brings deep experience in covering regional growth, infrastructure policy, and community impact — shaped by previous reporting roles in Florida and New Mexico. Before joining ENR, Vince led digital content initiatives for NPR affiliates in Texas and Florida, and served as an editor for Treasure Coast Newspapers and a reporter for the Albuquerque Journal.

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and last updated

Clara Benitez-Cortez

is KRIS 6 News Evening Anchor and Reporter. She is excited to be back in South Texas, after reporting in her hometown of San Diego, California.

The City of Corpus Christi has released an official response to Governor Abbott's comments on Tuesday regarding the city's ongoing water crisis. CLICK HERE TO READ THAT STATEMENT

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ORIGINAL STORY:

Governor Greg Abbott made it clear he is very aware of Corpus Christi's ongoing water crisis and also made it clear he is not happy with how it has been handled.

During a campaign stop to talk about property taxes in Manor, near Austin, the Governor was asked if he was monitoring the water situation in Corpus Christi.

His response was heated.

"So listen, we've been doing more than monitoring it; we've been actively involved in it, going back a long time. Know this: we saw in advance that we were actually working with Corpus Christi. We provided them with $750 million.03 quarters of a billion dollars in funding for them to address their water problem. You know what they did? They squandered it and then they changed their plan and then they were indecisive about what to do. Corpus Christi is a victim not because of lack of water. They're a victim because of a lack of ability to make a decision. What Corpus Christi leaders have to do is make a decision. We can only give them a little time more before the state of Texas has to take over and micromanage that city and run that city to make sure that every resident who goes to the the water tap and turns it on, they're going to be getting water out of their faucet, not because of what local leaders are doing, but because of what the state of Texas will do. We're fully committed to making sure the Corpus Christi residents are going to have the water they need to live their lives like the rest of the people in the state of Texas."

KRIS6 News reached out to the City of Corpus Christi, and City Manager Peter Zanoni replied, stating:

"We are deeply grateful for prior and continued support from Governor Abbott and his Office to help Corpus Christi advance water security for the Coastal Bend.

This includes assistance in developing $1 billion in recent City Council approved water supply projects.

Additionally, continued support from the Governor and his team, as well as from our state delegation and state agencies like TCEQ and TWDB, for our Inner Harbor Desalination project will only continue to ensure greater water security for our region."

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