Corpus Christi’s Water Crisis: Shortages, Solutions, and Future Plans

Corpus Christi, Texas, is known for having the largest oil export hub in the United States. However, the nearby Coastal Bend region is facing a serious water shortage. This problem has forced residents, businesses, and factories to watch their water use very closely. Everyone is worried about how bad the situation is becoming.

Since August 2024, the city has banned people from watering their lawns. Residents are also restricted in how they can water gardens, wash boats, or clean cars. Without significant rain, the city government might declare a water emergency by December 2026. If that happens, households will be limited to 6,000 gallons of water per month. This amount is about 22,700 liters. It is only two-thirds of what the average American home uses.

I study hydrology and water resources at the University of Texas at Arlington. My research involves building computer models to plan for floods and droughts in this area. Local officials are looking for solutions to ease the current crisis. However, solving the long-term water problems will likely require big investments. This need for money is urgent because local industries are growing fast.

Corpus Christi provides 65 percent of the region’s water. It serves more than 500,000 residents and large industrial customers. Most of this water comes from rain and runoff in three river basins: the Nueces, the Lavaca-Navidad, and the Colorado. The city stores this water in Choke Canyon Reservoir and Lake Corpus Christi, both located in the Nueces basin. This supply is helped by water sent through the Mary Rhodes Pipeline from the Colorado River channel and from Lake Texana in the Lavaca-Navidad basin.

The Nueces basin has had widespread drought conditions since late 2021. This has caused very low water levels in Choke Canyon Reservoir and Lake Corpus Christi. By May 2026, these reservoirs held only about 8 percent of their total capacity. Because of this, the city had to take more water from the Colorado River and Lake Texana. By March 2026, these sources provided about 73 percent of the city’s water.

Water levels in Lake Texana have been going down since mid-2025. This has caused worry about even less water in the future. However, recent rain has helped refill some of the supply.

While the drought has lasted, the region has seen big industrial growth. This growth is driven by the expansion of the Port of Corpus Christi. Between 2013 and 2023, the port’s trade value more than doubled. This increase was partly due to more fracking for oil and natural gas in West Texas. It was also helped by a 2015 rule change that relaxed restrictions on oil exports. The port is now the top exporter of crude oil in the United States.

In the late 2010s, the port’s growth attracted water-heavy petrochemical industries to the Coastal Bend. At that time, city staff told these companies there would be enough water for their needs. To meet this rising demand, the city knew it needed new water sources by 2023. However, the city has not developed new water sources since 2016.

Plans for a desalination plant have been in development for almost ten years. This plant was meant to turn ocean water into fresh water. It promised a drought-proof water supply for the region. Between 2017 and 2024, the city received more than $750 million in state loans to plan, design, and build the plant. But in September 2025, the City Council canceled these plans. They cited rising costs, which had jumped to $1.2 billion. This decision left the city searching for alternative supplies to fix the shortage.

The city is trying to make its water supply less dependent on surface water. Surface water depends on rainfall and is very sensitive to drought.

Groundwater wells drilled deep underground along the Nueces River are already helping. They supply about 12 million gallons per day, or 45.4 million liters, to help with surface water shortages. The city is also seeking permits to install wells in the Evangeline aquifer to its north. This project could extract up to 24 million gallons per day, or 91 million liters. These wells could start working as early as November 2026.

However, neighboring communities are worried. They fear that Corpus Christi’s pumping could dry up their own groundwater supplies. These neighbors have filed paperwork to block the city’s permit request for the Evangeline project.

Even if this project becomes operational, groundwater is not safe from drought. Without enough rain, groundwater aquifers are not refilled. This means water levels will keep dropping. The city may need to dig deeper wells to reach the shrinking supply.

The city is also planning to use treated wastewater from its sewage plant. This water will be used for industrial cooling, irrigation, and other purposes that do not involve drinking or food preparation. Normally, this water is released into local creeks and bays.

Several large companies, including oil giants Valero and Flint Hill Resources, have agreed to use this reclaimed water. They will use it at their facilities instead of drinking water. Drinking water is much more purified than these industries actually need. The design for the pipes and pumping station is expected to be finished in June 2026. The project will initially provide 1 million gallons per day. When fully built, it could provide up to 16 million gallons per day, or 60.5 million liters.

Despite the City Council’s vote to cancel the original desalination plan in 2025, plans for desalination are still active. The city is considering buying water from a desalination plant owned by a local company, Corpus Christi Polymers. Construction of this plant is nearly complete, and permits to operate the facility have already been obtained.

The costs have not been agreed upon yet. However, if the city moves forward, the plant could supply about 8 million gallons per day, or 30.2 million liters, within a year.

The city is also thinking about restarting the plans for the original desalination plant. They are also looking for locations for additional plants. However, questions remain about the high cost of these facilities. There are also environmental concerns. The wastewater from desalination usually has high levels of minerals. If this wastewater is not mixed well with the water in Corpus Christi Bay, it could harm fish, shellfish, and other animals.

In the short term, residents and businesses will continue to face strict limits on water use. These restrictions will last until rainfall improves or new supplies are fully developed.

Over the longer term, planning must consider the chance of continuing drought. It must also consider the effects of climate change. Climate change is expected to cause longer and more severe dry spells. These planning efforts will help make more accurate estimates of the reliability of existing or planned water supplies. This information will decide how much water is available for different uses in the future.