Council approves 3‑year treated-water deal with WCID No. 3 amid debate over $1.7M interconnect reimbursement
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Summary
Council approved a three‑year treated‑water contract with Nueces County WCID No. 3 that reimburses the district roughly $1.7 million to build an interconnect; in exchange the city received a three‑year lease of 5 million gallons per day of senior water rights. Council debated who ultimately pays the cost and potential TDS impacts to Robstown.
The City Council voted to approve a three‑year treated‑water supply contract with Nueces County WCID No. 3 that reimburses the district for the construction of an interconnect and secures a short‑term water lease into the city’s supply portfolio.
City staff described the arrangement as a regional approach to avoid curtailment. Under the agreement WCID No. 3 will design and construct an interconnect and associated ground storage tank; the city will reimburse approximately $1,700,000 for that construction. In exchange, the city receives a three‑year lease on 5 million gallons per day (MGD) of WCID No. 3’s senior water rights and operational interconnection benefits during emergencies.
"We are reimbursing them for the cost of the project and what our ratepayers are getting is the advantage of an interconnect for our system," Interim Chief Operating Officer Nick Winkelmann told the council. Council members pressed for transparency about who ultimately bears the cost. Staff clarified that the funding is allocated across all ratepayers in the utility service area (residential, commercial and large-volume users across seven counties), not directly from the general fund. WCID representatives said their system currently averages higher TDS at times — up to about 1,500 parts per million at their plant — and welcomed the interconnect as protective for their customers.
Council members questioned whether the city’s planned well field production contributed to higher TDS downstream and whether the $1.7 million reimbursement was an appropriate allocation for Corpus Christi ratepayers. Staff said the interconnect reduces legal and operational risk to the city and region, and that the city is receiving a lease on senior water rights in exchange. The motion carried following discussion.
What’s next: Staff will complete contract documents and begin implementation; council asked for ongoing monitoring per the bed‑and‑banks permit and additional reporting on cost allocations and the regional funding model.
