City leaders said the project remains on schedule as leaders debated urgency, cost, and transparency at Friday’s special meeting.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi City Council met for a special workshop on Friday focused on the Inner Harbor desalination project, emphasizing urgency, transparency, and next steps as the region faces ongoing water concerns.

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City Manager Peter Zanoni told council the desalination contract is expected to be brought forward for approval on April 28, a key date leaders repeatedly highlighted.

“We plan on bringing the contract to City Council on April 28 — we’re pretty confident it will be substantially complete,” Zanoni said, noting final timing depends on review by the Texas Water Development Board.

The project is designed to create a long-term, drought-resistant water supply for the City and region, officials said. Mayor Paulette Guajardo stressed the importance of moving forward without delay.

“The Inner Harbor desalination project is essential to the survival — of this community and region,” Guajardo said. “Every day of delay increases uncertainty.”

Staff outlined progress, including ongoing contract negotiations, cost estimates, and project timelines. The current proposal is estimated at $978 million, lower than a previous proposal of roughly $1.3 billion.

However, officials acknowledged the project is not fully funded, relying in part on state-backed loans that would be repaid over time.

“It’s a loan — the ratepayer would pay the loan back plus interest,” Zanoni explained.

Some council members questioned the purpose of the workshop, arguing it did not speed up the timeline.

“I don’t believe that this meeting has moved anything forward,” Councilwoman Campos said. 

Others defended the meeting, saying public updates are important.

“I think the public is interested,” Councilman Scott said. “More is better than less when it comes to these projects.”

Officials said the current timeline for delivering water from the plant is projected for late 2029, with construction phases expected to follow contract approval.