The City Council voted Tuesday to pour another $187 million into the Evangeline Groundwater Project, with City Manager Peter Zanoni calling it “the only thing right now that will keep us out of a Level 1 water emergency.”
But newly released water supply modeling suggests that even under the best circumstances, the project alone may not be enough.
Corpus Christi Water interim COO Nick Winkelmann presented six models projecting the city’s water future during Tuesday’s meeting. Five of them point to a Level 1 water emergency.
Can Evangeline prevent a water emergency? Models suggest it could be a long shot
Scenarios A and B project curtailment as soon as this May. Scenarios C and D push that to October 2026.
Scenario E is the only outcome that would prevent a Level 1 emergency entirely. It assumes everything goes correctly, from Evangeline to the Western Wells, and factoring in some rainfall.
But Zanoni told the council the National Weather Service expects almost no significant rain over the next three months, making Scenario E the least likely outcome. Adding to the urgency, Winkelmann said that as lake levels drop, arsenic levels are worsening.
Winkelmann told the council the city is taking a “calculated strategic direction” by beginning construction before permits are secured.
“We’re going to start building the project in about five weeks without the drilling permits,” Zanoni said. “The alternative is to not do anything, maybe lose Garney and lose the engineer of record, and wait.”
Adam Beam
San Patricio County residents observe a map of the Evangeline Aquifer project at an information session hosted by Corpus Christi Water.
Councilman Roland Barrera expressed concern about escalating costs, noting surface use agreements alone jumped from an estimated $450,000 to approximately $12 million.
“The thing I worry about with all the expenditures is the speculative loss if it doesn’t work,” Barrera said.
Councilman Mark Scott questioned how much money the city is committing without permit guarantees. The total project cost, including water rights, is now estimated at $665.2 million.
Winkelmann presented the estimated delivery timeline for Evangeline: 4 million gallons a day into the pipeline by November. Initially, the project aimed to produce 12 million gallons before increasing to 24 million gallons.
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Corpus Christi Water
But that timeline depends entirely on the San Patricio Groundwater Conservation District. Protests filed by Sinton and St. Paul Water Supply Corporation risk pushing permits into contested hearings. If the protests succeed and the case proceeds to a contested hearing, leaders said the delay could last two years.
An initial March 2 hearing was canceled after the judge recused themselves due to a conflict with one of the protesters.
A new judge has been selected. Winkelmann said the city picked the first available hearing date, but protestants picked the last possible date, roughly 30 days from now, effectively delaying the process by 60 days.
Once the preliminary hearing occurs, the judge will determine whether the protesters have standing.
Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office informed KRIS 6 News that the governor has directed state agencies to take immediate action to protect Corpus Christi’s water supply, waiving regulations to expedite permitting.
Adam Beam
The San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District attorney speaks with stakeholders in the Evangeline Aquifer project including Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni and Corpus Christi Water interim-COO Nick Winkelmann.
Zanoni told the council there’s potential for the governor’s office to intervene in the San Patricio County disputes as well.
“Abbott, for several years now, has declared areas, disaster areas because of this drought, and we think that with some of that disaster declaration, local rules could be waived to include that groundwater conservation district,” Zanoni said.
Under Section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, the governor’s power to suspend rules applies to state agencies. The San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District is a locally governed political subdivision, not a state agency.
The district’s own rules grant any person who timely files an objection automatic status as a party in any contested case, a formal, protected role.
Adam Beam
Sen. Adam Hinojosa gives opening remarks to Corpus Christi leadership at a meeting related to water. The City of Sinton declined the senator’s invite citing transparency concerns with Corpus Christi.
Last week, Sen. Adam Hinojosa invited leaders from Sinton and Corpus Christi to a roundtable discussion. Sinton declined, citing concerns with transparency.
In a statement, the City of Sinton said it would not attend until Corpus Christi provides “essential information and responds to a previously submitted proposal.”
Zanoni alleged Tuesday that Sinton “refuses to meet,” claiming the city has offered dates as early as late March or April 1, but Sinton has proposed waiting until late April.
“The Evangeline groundwater project is 100% permit in terms of production,” Zanoni said. “The wells and the transport permits are really perfunctory at this point. Nonetheless, we’ll have to go through the process.”
The city has spent approximately $1.7 million on the project to date. The team continues working toward partial water delivery by November 2026, though no set completion date exists.
Corpus Christi Water provided the following statement:
The City of Corpus Christi remains fully committed to this critical infrastructure project and its importance to the long-term water security of our region. As discussed in yesterday’s council meeting, City Council has approved significant funding toward the Evangeline Project, reflecting our dedication to ensuring a reliable water supply for the community. We recognize that timelines are subject to several factors, many of which extend beyond the City’s direct control. However, we want to assure the public that we are actively working to advance the project as efficiently as possible and are closely monitoring all scenarios.
Corpus Christi Water
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