\u201cIt is now necessary for Portland to begin the process toward water independence to ensure that our residents and businesses have a reliable, sustainable water supply for the future,\u201d Mayor Skurow stated at the October meeting. \u201cTime is no longer on our side.\u201d<\/p>\n
City of Portland looking at ‘water independence’ to combat future water woes<\/p>\n
Skurow also underscored the urgency, stressing that long-term water reliability is now a \u201ctop priority\u201d for the council.<\/p>\n
The sense of urgency was fueled by data presented by Brian Williams, General Manager of the San Patricio Municipal Water District, which purchases water from Corpus Christi for Portland. <\/p>\n
He showed that combined reservoir levels, as of October 21, in the Nueces Basin were at 11.6%, with Choke Canyon Reservoir at just 10.9%.<\/p>\n
Potential options discussed include reserving 2.5 million gallons per day from the Nueces River Authority\u2019s proposed Harbor Island desalination plant<\/a> and pursuing brackish groundwater desalination through public-private partnerships.<\/p>\n KRIS file photo.<\/p>\n Corpus Christi officials are pleased with overnight progress in fixing water woes facing the city. <\/p>\n Portland’s City Manager, Randy Wright, framed the workshop as the start of a critical process. \u201cWe want to make the right decisions here, but we are facing a critical shortage and time is of the essence, so we\u2019ve got to get these things done sooner rather than later,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n Wright added that diversification is no longer optional. \u201cWe\u2019ve depended on a single source of water for decades,\u201d Wright told KRIS 6 News. \u201cOur goal now is to have multiple sources so that when these droughts hit, and they always hit, we\u2019re not left without anywhere to turn.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam Beam<\/p>\n He also emphasized that the city is working toward long-term solutions, not quick fixes. \u201cWe\u2019re planning not just for today but for the next 25, 50, even 75 years,\u201d Wright told KRIS 6 News. \u201cPortland residents can be confident we\u2019re looking over the horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n Wright noted that nothing discussed would prevent Portland from continuing to purchase water from Corpus Christi, but said the city wants the ability to withstand future shortages. \u201cWe want good partnerships,\u201d Wright told KRIS 6 News. \u201cBut we also want resiliency.\u201d<\/p>\n The council is expected to move quickly, with plans to issue a request for qualifications for engineering firms and potential water project partners in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n For the latest local news updates, click here<\/a>, or download the KRIS 6 News App.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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