CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 <\/p>\n
For the first time since March 11, 2024, Corpus Christi will move to Stage 1 water restrictions beginning Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
City Manager Peter Zanoni alluded to the announcement at Tuesday’s meeting. This comes after the city surpassed 40% of water capacity \u2014 the threshold required to relax restrictions.<\/p>\n
Corpus Christi moving to Stage 1 water restrictions on Thursday for first time in more than 2 years<\/p>\n
The most significant change under Stage 1: residents with automatic lawn irrigation systems may now water every week instead of every other week.<\/p>\n
The shift comes after more than 2 years of declining lake levels during what officials have described as a “drought of record” \u2014 a period that brought Corpus Christi national attention and kept residents under the threat of a water emergency.<\/p>\n
During that time, residents made significant changes to reduce water use. Some have gotten rid of appliances like dishwashers. Others use buckets to retain water while the shower warms up.<\/p>\n
Residents accounted for less than 20% of total water use of Corpus Christi Water customers last year<\/a> \u2014 yet water restrictions have primarily targeted homeowners and long-term residents.<\/p>\n City Council District 2 representative Eric Cantu advocated for the move to Stage 1 at last week’s council meeting<\/a>.<\/p>\n “This is some relief for the residents because they’ve done a lot for this community in the past year,” Cantu said.<\/p>\n Cantu also noted that city policy prevents a return to Stage 2 restrictions unless water capacity drops below 30%.<\/p>\n “Our own policy says once we go to Stage 1 we don’t go back to Stage 2 until under 30%,” Cantu said.<\/p>\n The city projects it will not need to return to Stage 2 restrictions until at least April or May of next year.<\/p>\n For residents without a lawn, the change may not have an immediate impact \u2014 but it marks another step forward for a city that has spent more than 2 years managing one of its most serious water crises.<\/p>\n For the latest local news updates, click here<\/a>, or download the KRIS 6 News App. <\/a><\/p>\n