LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) –
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is warning that the looming water crisis unfolding in Corpus Christi is a harbinger of what may happen throughout the state without immediate, sustained action.
Corpus Christi’s two main reservoirs are at historic lows.
City leaders are telling residents they’re less than a year away from major water cuts.
If that happens, it could force them to reduce their water use by 25% or face extra fees.
The city is predicting it will reach a “level one water emergency” come November. This is initiated when the city reaches 180 days from when the total water supply is not enough to meet the total water demand.
The city is *not running out of water yet. Data indicates the city’s western water supply will be depleted in June of 2027.
A planned desalination plant would have turned millions of gallons of seawater… Into fresh water.
However, the city council moved to cancel that contract in September after pushback and a higher-than-expected price tag. So now, the city is turning to groundwater to meet demands. A public hearing is scheduled for February 6th.
“Texas is running out of water, and the crisis in Corpus Christi is the canary in the coal mine. Coastal communities like Corpus sit at the end of the line. When upstream supplies drop or saltwater pushes in, South Texas families, farmers, ports, and industries are the first to take the hit. This is a warning shot, and ignoring it is not an option,” Commissioner Miller said.
He is applauding the city of Corpus Christi for confronting these challenges head-on and is now calling on other communities to help.
He says ignoring this issue is “not an option.”
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