Corpus Christi looks to squeeze more water from the Nueces River

Corpus Christi may dig for new groundwater wells along the Nueces River as leaders continue to look for ways to boost the city’s water supply.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —  Corpus Christi may soon expand its water supply by developing new groundwater wells along the Nueces River as city leaders consider purchasing additional water rights from landowners in Nueces and San Patricio counties.

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City officials say several landowners have approached the city about selling water rights, which could open the door to creating new well fields on both sides of the river. The city already operates two well fields in the area, known as the Eastern and Western fields.

Some existing wells currently discharge water into the Nueces River. City leaders say that water could eventually be captured and treated to provide as much as 28 million gallons for municipal use.

City Manager Peter Zanoni said hydrogeological studies show the groundwater in the area is more brackish than water from the Evangeline Aquifer, which supplies much of the region’s drinking water.

“These will be additional ground water well sites,” Zanoni said. “We know based on our hydrogeological studies of the area that the water is gonna be a little bit more brackish than the Evangeline water.”

Because of the higher salinity, any new well fields could require reverse osmosis treatment to make the water safe for drinking. City leaders say they are considering the use of mobile desalination skids — portable reverse osmosis units — as part of the operation.

Officials have not yet said how much the new wells could cost, or when a final decision could be made. The proposal comes as Corpus Christi continues searching for long-term solutions to secure water supplies for future growth and drought conditions.