This morning, Corpus Christi city officials held a press briefing to update residents on the status of the city’s water supply amid a historic drought.

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City Manager Peter Zanoni emphasized that, while the region’s drought was severe, the city had been preparing for years. “We’re not running out of water. This is no time to panic,” Zanoni said. “We have 76 million gallons of new water supply coming online. The only missing piece is a permit or two.”

Zanoni explained the city had been using modeling to forecast water availability but expanded from one to six models to better reflect real-time conditions, including drought severity, evaporation rates, and permit delays.

“The message this week was off,” Zanoni said. “We’re not suddenly at a level one water emergency. We have more information than ever to make decisions.”

He highlighted that several projects totaling $1 billion were underway, designed to generate 76 million gallons of new water per day — the first new supply in decades for the city. These included:

Groundwater projects in Nueces and San Patricio counties, including the Evangeline and Western Wellfields.

Effluent reuse projects provide 16 million gallons per day for industrial customers.

Seawater desalination projects, including the Inner Harbor and Harbor Island plants, are capable of producing 30–50 million gallons daily.

“The work we’re doing is changing our water system for generations to come,” Zanoni said. “It will bring stability to homes, businesses, and industrial partners.”

Chief Operating Officer for Corpus Christi Water, Nick Winkelmann stressed the importance of diversifying the water supply beyond surface water. “Previously, all our water came from Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir. Now, 70% of our supply comes from Lake Texana and the lower Colorado River, supplemented with groundwater, effluent reuse, and seawater desalination,” he said.

Officials noted that permit delays, controlled by state agencies or groundwater conservation districts, were the primary hurdles preventing immediate full operation of new projects.

Zanoni explained, “Everything we control, we are executing on schedule or ahead of schedule. The remaining steps involve permits, and we’re actively working with TCEQ and the San Patricio Groundwater Conservation District to advance them.”

Regarding state funding, Zanoni referenced Governor Abbott’s allocation: “The $750 million from the state is critical, and these projects will enable us to fully utilize those resources to secure long-term water reliability.”

City officials also addressed water quality concerns, including recent arsenic readings. “Our groundwater wells are safe. The increase in arsenic is in surface water reservoirs, which we are monitoring closely,” Zanoni said.

Looking ahead, the city plans to release more community-focused updates, including videos of project sites and operators. Officials assured residents that while planning for potential emergencies is ongoing, current water supplies remain sufficient.

“Next Tuesday, we’ll review the models with City Council,” Zanoni said. “We are preparing for every scenario, but the key takeaway: we have water, we have plans, and we have projects underway to make our system stronger than ever.”