Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The City Council of Corpus Christi held a workshop on March 6, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM to receive briefings and discuss a range of alternative water supply projects aimed at addressing the ongoing drought and enhancing long-term water security. The workshop featured presentations from project proponents and city staff, followed by extensive council member questions. No formal actions were taken, but key directions for future focus emerged.
Alternative Water Supply Project Presentations (10:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
EV Ranch (Catahoula Aquifer): Presented by Dr. Mike Mince and Dr. Brownlow. Proposed to supply 28.5 MGD (million gallons per day) from a brackish aquifer via a 46-mile pipeline to Kingsville, at an estimated cost of $6.50 per thousand gallons (potable). Timeline: 24-30 months, including feasibility and permitting. Water quality TDS range 1,000-5,000 ppm.
Evangeline Brackish Groundwater Project: Presented by Ed Cross. Proposed 25.4 MGD from fresh groundwater (TDS ~750 ppm, potable without treatment) with existing permits for 28,486 acre-feet/year. Timeline: 28-30 months for full buildout; emergency option of 3-4 wells in 6 months. Cost dependent on financing (public vs. private).
Barney Davis Seawater Project: Presented by Stacy Barna and Ruben Munoz (CDM Smith). Concept to co-locate desalination at an existing power plant, leveraging its intake (640 MGD permitted) and cooling pond discharge. Potential capacity up to 100 MGD, but requires further feasibility study, especially for environmental impacts and discharge to Gulf instead of Oso Creek. No cost estimates provided.
Port of Corpus Christi Harbor Island Permit: Presented by Sarah Garza. Update on permits: discharge permit for 50 MGD in hand; water rights pending; federal permits in process. Proposed 100 MGD facility (two 50 MGD mirrors) with tunneled intake/discharge to Gulf, avoiding wetlands. Distribution to Nueces County and San Patricio municipal water districts.
Solar Panel Installation (Noria Energy): Presented virtually by Tate Tusing and Alex Cagle. Proposed floating solar on Lake Corpus Christi to reduce evaporation (potential savings of millions of gallons/year) and generate revenue for the city through energy sales. No capital cost to city; feasibility study 6 months, construction 12 months. Permits expected within 12 months.
Nueces River Authority (NRA) Desalination Project: Presented by John Byrum. Proposed to use Port of CC permit at Harbor Island and build a 100 MGD (expandable to 450 MGD) seawater desal plant serving a larger region. Estimated cost $12/thousand gallons (TWDB class 5 estimate), with $3.5 billion total cost (today's dollars). Timeline: 2030. Seeking reservation fees from off-takers.
Planned and Approved Water Supply Projects (12:35 PM - 2:00 PM)
Inner Harbor Water Treatment Campus (Drew Molly): City's 30 MGD desalination project, near final permitting (TCEQ final permit expected next week), design-build contract with Kiewit, delivery in Q2 2028. Drought-proof supply; cost not detailed but with low-interest TWDB financing.
La Quinta Water Treatment Project (Estella An Ramos): 40 MGD seawater desal site near San Patricio MWD, intake permit granted, discharge permit in review. Timeline 2030, cost ~$1.1 billion (~$10.62/thousand gallons).
Wastewater Reuse (Dan Olson, Garver): Evaluated reuse options (non-potable, indirect potable, direct potable). City produces ~25 MGD effluent from six plants. Feasibility study for potable reuse would require 12-month source water characterization and pilot testing. Non-potable reuse (type 1 water) already offered free to public.
Mary Roads Pipeline Improvements (Nick Winklman): Capacity upgrade from current 55 MGD (Schedule 3) to ~75 MGD (Schedule 4) by March 24, 2025. Project cost ~$13 million; additional $1.8 million change order expected. Pipeline condition assessment found obstructions and pressure exceedances, requiring future maintenance.
Short-Term Emergency Water Supply Projects
Wells Along Nueces River: City drilling 7 new wells on city-owned property, targeting 10-15 MGD. First well test pumping by end of next week. Emergency authorization of $10 million received. Water from the Gulf Coast Aquifer (Evangeline formation).
CC Polymers Desalination Plant: Existing 9.4 MGD plant (never used), could be operational in 9-12 months with one-pass RO for non-potable (raw) water. Cost ~$7-$7.50/thousand gallons. City negotiating term sheet. Would offset industrial demand, freeing potable water.
Council Member Questions and Discussion
That's going to come up to the podium to present. Would you please sit in the front row? So again, anyone presenting your teams, who whoever is going to be getting up to the podium. Would you please sit in the very front two rows on my right and left sides? I like to call this meeting to order. Calen Paxson. Mark Scott. Carolyn Bonn. City Manager Peter Zanoni. Present. Thank you, Ms. Wednesday. So good morning, everyone. Welcome to City Hall and Council Chambers. I want to first start by saying the tremendous, you know, we're here about water. And I just want to give a little glimpse as to the tremendous progress that the city has had with with our own desalination project, which you'll hear about uh shortly. Um but it will be the first municipal seawater desalination plant in the country. It's very exciting because earlier this week, and I wanted to let everybody know as well. Um we were we convened at at the Capitol by the direction of Senator Adam Ihosa and Senator Chewy Inahosa, and um it was very it was a it was a very good meeting, and it's about water. It's about coming, it was about coming together. We formed an alliance, the Coastal Bend uh Water Alliance, which is going to be a group uh that that consists of all of our partnerships across the coastal bend to advocate for and to talk about and see what water solutions you know we need to go after, if you will. So um as Senator uh Inahosa put it, the City Corpus Christine is at the one-yard line. That's very exciting. Within a week, you know, we'll be hopefully crossing uh the goal line. And so today's workshop is also an important step, very important step as we turn our attention to the next phase, exploring what the next alternative water solution is. We understand that uh you know our our desalination plan is certainly a solution in June of 28. Um, but we also have to continue to look for water solutions, and that's what we're gonna have presentations today, as you all know. So I want to thank all the presenters for being here. I want to thank our staff, uh Drew Molly for your leadership. Um, and what we're going to do is have our presenters. I'm going to turn it over to Rebecca in just a moment, and she'll explain the process by which we will uh you know this this workshop will take place for the next few hours. So thank you. Rebecca. Thank you, Mayor. So we'll start with the um other candidate water supply projects, and that's gonna run approximately from 10 to 1230 p.m. Each presenter will have 10 minutes to present their um their water alternative water supply project and all six projects, and these are 1A through F, they're uh EV Ranch, Evangeline, Barney Davis, Port of C C Harbor Island Permit, Solar Panel Installation, Noasis River Authority DSOL Plan. Those are the that's the order. Um they will be uh all six projects will be consecutively presented prior to answering questions from city council members. And after the last presentation is concluded, I'll ask all the presenters, um, the first presenter to reassemble at the podium and uh address any questions from city council members. Each city council member will have up to 10 minutes to ask questions of the presenters. Then we'll um take a brief recess between 1230 and 1 p.m. Um, and we'll resume from one to two thirty p.m. And with the exception of the water wastewater reuse project that'll have 10 minutes. Each presenter will have five minutes to present their respective projects. And um those projects all six projects will be consecutively presented prior to answering questions from city council members, and then each city council member will have up to five minutes to ask questions of the presenters. So that's the process we'll be using today.