With the City Council divided, both sides are looking to the November election to shape the project’s future.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The future of Corpus Christi’s Inner Harbor desalination project is now in the hands of voters and the next City Council.

Corpus Christi City Council voted Tuesday night on whether to move forward with 60% design plans for the proposed desalination plant. The measure failed in a 5-3 vote.

That means the project will not return for another council vote unless the November election changes the makeup of the council and a new majority supports moving forward.



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Councilwoman Kaylynn Paxson said she believes residents do not want the Inner Harbor project.

“I am always going to put my vote behind what the people want, and I do believe the citizens of this city do not want the Inner Harbor desalination,” Paxson said.

Paxson also fully backs the Harbor Island desalination facility that the city spent over 2 million dollars to reserve 50 mgd of that water.

Now, city staff recommended that council approve moving forward with the project. Councilman Roland Barrera said a future council should listen to the recommendations of city staff and rely on the professionals hired to oversee the project.

“Let city staff do their job, listen to the professionals we pay these people six figures for a reason and unfortunately, you have nine laymen trying to direct it based on emotion, cronyism, and ambition,” Barrera said.

Councilman Mark Scott raised concerns about the potential financial consequences of stopping the project. He said the state could potentially declare the city in default of the $230 million in loans it has received to build the plant.

“I think it is with the purview of the state to declare in default of those loans, which I think will lead to a downgrade in our bond rating again, and it will increase the cost of the taxpayers as we go out for a new projects,” Scott said.

The Coastal Bend Coalition, a political action committee that supports the Inner Harbor project, is now turning its attention to the November election.

Executive Director Deeanna Heavilin said the group is supporting candidates who back the project and want to address what she described as a lack of stability at City Hall.

“We are supporting the candidates who are willing to invest in our water security through Inner Harbor, to restore normalcy and take out some of the chaos on the dais at City Hall,” Heavilin said.

The coalition plans to announce its candidate endorsements next week.

Heavilin also said the PAC commissioned a poll asking residents whether they support the Inner Harbor project. She said the results showed strong support.

“Three to one people from all over the community support Inner Harbor,” Heavilin said.

The project’s future will now depend largely on the November election and the makeup of the City Council that takes office in January.