(The Center Square) – Corpus Christi City Council members have again voted against building a desalinization plant, this time citing the record amount of rainfall as their most recent reason.
Late Tuesday night, the city council voted 5-3 against building a controversial Inner Harbor desalination project. They voted after having postponed voting on the project multiple times and after the city and region have been facing a water crisis after years of drought.
Dozens of residents spoke at the meeting Tuesday night, including against the plant, citing environmental and cost concerns.
Councilwoman Sylvia Campos, who opposes the project, said it’s “not for the people. It is for big industry,” referring to oil and gas refineries and large industries in the area. “We finally need to just kill it. We don't want it,” she said.
Councilman Mark Scott, who supports the project, said, “I think it's safe to assume the state is watching, and I think it's safe to assume the federal government is watching. I think any delay is going to get a negative reaction from them.”
By Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been a vocal critic of the city council, responded.
His Chief of Staff Robert Black said in a statement, “It is clear that the current Corpus Christi City Council does not possess the courage to lead nor the will to govern and has once again failed to secure reliable water for their citizens. The State has done its part. The Texas Water Development Board approved $757 million in SWIFT financing for the Inner Harbor plant, and TCEQ fully permitted the facility.”
Last September, the city council voted to terminate a controversial $1.2 billion desalination plant project at a heated public meeting where three women were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct. The decision halted years of planning and created another $122 million in debt, KRIS TV reported. At the time, Abbott’s office was involved, urging city council members to vote for the project or lose state funding. They voted against it.
In March, the city issued a drought status Stage 3 and implemented water restrictions. The next level was a “water emergency,” The Center Square reported.
By June, a vote on the desal plant that was scheduled was also postponed.
Since then, the region and state have been inundated with flood waters. Most lakes that were previously dry in drought-stricken areas are full.
Lake Corpus Christi is 88.6% full, as of Sept. 3, 2026. The last time it was 100% full was on Sept. 30, 1964, according to city data.
After record rainfall, roughly one week ago, the city moved to Stage 1 water restrictions for the first time since March 2024. Stage 1 “indicates a mild water shortage triggered when combined reservoir storage drops below 40% capacity.”
Stage 1 restriction allows residents to water “landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems” once a week, on “a designated watering schedule before 10:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m.”
The restrictions apply to “every person, business, and entity that uses water provided by the City of Corpus Christi,” including “residential households, multi-family accounts, commercial businesses, industrial users, and wholesale water customers.”
Those who violate the restrictions face fines of up to $500 per day. Second offenses lead to having their water cut off, the city says.
Questions residents ask during restrictions include, “Can I wash my boat? Can I water my potted plants? Can I water my food garden?”
At campaign events, Abbott has said the state may have to take over Corpus Christi to ensure residents don’t run out of water, The Center Square reported.
Black hinted at that in his Thursday statement.
“Going forward, Governor Abbott will utilize all necessary tools to ensure the Corpus Christi area has a safe, reliable long term water supply,” he said.
