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Water supply dashboard: reservoirs low, multiple supply projects under way and under review
Summary
Corpus Christi Water officials reported combined western reservoir capacity at about 15.3% and updated council on groundwater drilling, wastewater reuse agreements, the Evangeline pipeline progress, independent reviews of the Inner Harbor desalination modeling, and next milestones for permits and project financing.
City and Corpus Christi Water officials gave a detailed water-supply update Tuesday as part of the council meeting, reporting on reservoir levels, groundwater programs, wastewater reuse projects and ongoing reviews of proposed desalination work.
Nick Winkelman, chief operating officer for Corpus Christi Water (CCW), said Lake Corpus Christi was at 33.8% capacity and Choke Canyon Reservoir at 8.1%, leaving the combined western-reservoir capacity at 15.3 percent. He noted that combined capacity is only tenths of a percent greater than a year ago and remains at levels that require continued conservation planning.
Winkelman reviewed multiple supply efforts: the Nueces Groundwater Program (drilling continues with temporary drilling permits and a subcommittee of the regional groundwater conservation district reviewing modeling); wastewater reuse projects that include a conveyance line from Greenwood to Valero (allowing Valero to use up to 3 million gallons per day of effluent) and agreements with other industrial customers; the Evangeline groundwater project (roughly 10,105 linear feet of pipeline installed to date toward a ~30-mile total); and 7 Seas' proposed groundwater test-well development with a test-well mobilization expected by the end of July.
On the Inner Harbor seawater desalination project, CCW said the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program has been asked to conduct an independent review of the far-field ocean model data and that the city's consultant review of the draft modeling report should conclude within about a week. CCW staff said they will post the final modeling report on the city's securing-water website once it is finalized.
Winkelman said CCW has requested a restructuring of its SWIFT loan commitments and is participating in a Nueces River Authority stakeholder group as design work advances for a large regional project (reported projected cost of about $6.2 billion for the NRA concept). He said CCW and the city are working on letters of intent and site reviews for several desalination and brackish-water proposals; those processes and permitting remain ongoing and in some cases subject to contested hearings.
On regulatory timelines, CCW reported that briefs in a Public Utilities Commission hearing over rates are due Aug. 5, with reply briefs due Aug. 19, and officials hope for an agency decision by year'end. CCW said staff will update council with a water-supply dashboard on July 28 showing project-by-project cash spent and expected water deliveries.
Councilmembers asked when residents could resume regular lawn watering (staff said drought stage thresholds govern outdoor-watering allowances and that a combined reservoir level above 30% is the target for easing some restrictions). CCW emphasized it will not release water in contravention of court- or agreement-imposed release rules and is working with TCEQ on any temporary changes to flows or releases.
No formal council action was taken; councilmembers requested continued monthly updates and a dashboard on July 28.
