A $28 million Corpus Christi water deal is drawing backlash from rural Nueces County landowners who warn new wells could damage private groundwater supplies.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A newly approved 28 million dollar water deal is drawing sharp criticism from rural property owners in Nueces County who fear the project could threaten their water wells and their livelihoods.
Corpus Christi City Council approved the purchase of water rights tied to land near Bluntzer, where a new well-field is expected to produce at least 15 million gallons of water per day for the city.
Neighbors living near the proposed site showed up to City Hall to voice concerns, warning the pumping could damage private wells and permanently alter the area.
Nueces County property owner Alma Studer told council members the project would devastate families who rely on groundwater.
“The purchase of the water will damage our water wells, and you know it,” Studer said.
Studer and others say the city is overreaching and ignoring the long-term consequences for rural landowners.
“What you do when a government, in their overreach, is going to destroy a way of life and there’s nothing you can do about it,” she said.
Despite those objections, council approved the purchase from the Ed Rachal Foundation, which owns the property. The foundation had already constructed access roads, installed electrical infrastructure and drilled an initial well on the site. Under the agreement, five additional wells will be drilled.
City Manager Peter Zanoni told council the foundation moved forward with development before the city finalized the deal.
“Without us agreeing to buy the water rights, without us even knowing about the water rights sale, they had already begun essentially the project as it exists today,” Zanoni said.
Some council members questioned whether the city’s involvement began long before the public vote.
Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn suggested city leadership was working behind the scenes to advance the project.
“It is very obvious that somebody from the city has been working behind the scenes,” Vaughn said. “I assume it’s the mayor, and I don’t know who else, but somebody has been working behind the scenes to do this, and that is wrong.”
Mayor Paulette Guajardo pushed back, saying the city had little choice as it searches for new water sources following setbacks tied to the Evangeline Aquifer.
“So we are working, and have been working, with the Ed Rachal Foundation regarding this property because it is a big piece of the puzzle now that we’ve had a little setback with the Evangeline,” Guajardo said.
City officials maintain the well-field is critical to securing Corpus Christi’s short-term water supply.