Corpus Christi, one of Texas’ largest petrochemical and refining centers, is searching for ways to combat the worst water shortage in its history after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to take control of regional water supplies.
The city gets most of its municipal water from a series of lakes along the Nueces and Colorado rivers that are steadily going dry — and the city’s political leaders have been hamstrung for years trying to tap new sources.
Local officials are scheduled to give an update on water supplies to the City Council on Tuesday, as leaders estimate the region could face its first ever water emergency as early as November. The region is bracing for an economic hit if residents and industrial sites are forced to limit their water use, making the South Texas city a cautionary tale for many locations that rely on water from lakes and rivers.
“I consider Corpus Christi a warning for any community that depends on surface water,” Robert Mace, executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, said in an email.
