Corpus Christi is expanding its reclaimed water system to reduce the amount of drinking-quality water used by local industries.
City officials gave 3NEWS a tour on Wednesday of construction at the Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant, where treated wastewater that would normally be released into Oso Bay will instead be sent to industrial customers for uses such as cooling.
City Manager Peter Zanoni said that could leave millions of gallons of drinking-quality water available for other customers.
“It’s existing water that up to this point was just discharged into the bays and estuaries,” Zanoni said. “This reuses it and then it frees up fresh water that we have been selling these customers.”
The city is building about 10.5 miles of new pipeline to connect the Oso and Greenwood water reclamation facilities as part of a $107.5 million construction contract approved by the City Council in June.
Once the expansion is complete, the city says its reclaimed water program could provide up to 16 million gallons per day for reuse.
Reclaimed water is treated wastewater. It is not drinking water, but it can be used for industrial operations that do not need drinking-quality water.
Valero is expected to be one of the largest users. The company currently buys about 6 million to 8 million gallons of drinking-quality water per day from the city’s O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant, according to Zanoni.
Under a 30-year agreement approved by City Council, Valero could eventually receive up to 8 million gallons of reclaimed water per day.
“They will no longer buy water from O.N. Stevens, so that’ll free up 8 million,” Zanoni said. “And then they’ll buy the 8 from this system here, which is perfect for their cooling processes.”
The city also has a reclaimed water agreement with Flint Hills Resources, and the expanded system could serve other industrial customers in the future.
Zanoni said reuse is one of the city’s least expensive ways to make more water available because it uses water Corpus Christi already treats.
“This by far is the cheapest water project, cheapest water source,” Zanoni said. “It’s water that’s available today.”
Construction includes a new 36-inch pipeline, pumping equipment and other improvements. Work is currently underway along the pipeline route, including O’Day Parkway.
The city’s Phase 2 work is expected to be completed in July 2027.