r/CorpusChristi

The mayor of Corpus Christi called an emergency meeting last month to deliver a dire warning: The city, among the largest in Texas, was running out of water. City leaders had to make a plan, and fast.

“Every day of delay increases uncertainty,” the mayor, Paulette Guajardo, told the City Council. Officials had warned that demand for water could outstrip supply within months.

Corpus Christi, a coastal city of more than 300,000 and home to a large industrial port, is not alone in grappling with water shortages. Half the nation is dealing with a persistent drought, according to federal data, at the same time as industrial water demand has risen because of growing needs from power plants and data centers.

But Corpus Christi’s struggle to respond could serve as a warning to cities around Texas and across the country, officials said.

“This is actually the canary in the coal mine,” said Charles Perry, a Republican who chairs a committee on water in the Texas Senate.

Faced with a looming water crisis, Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened a state takeover, saying he may be forced to “run that city.” President Trump, during a visit last month, promised the city federal support for water projects.

Corpus Christi’s water problem has been building for several years. Its port and industrial corridor have expanded with the encouragement of the state and local government. New water sources have not kept pace. Then came a major, ongoing drought, now in its fifth year.

Major industrial companies, which use half the city’s water each day, have recently taken some steps to reduce consumption, like using more internally recycled water and cutting back on fleet vehicle washes, industry representatives said. But city officials said the companies have not made drastic cuts.

Bob Paulison, executive director of the Coastal Bend Industry Association, which represents companies with local footprints like Citgo and Valero Energy, said simply shutting down industry is not a viable option.

“There are hundreds of billions of dollars of investment at stake,” he said in an interview, “and the future of an entire region.”

Failure to address the crisis would ripple far beyond Corpus Christi. The city supplies water to about half a million customers in seven counties and the industrial companies that produce products like jet fuel, plastics and steel.

But the City Council, which is tasked with fixing the problem, has been wracked by infighting and high turnover. There is an effort to remove the mayor from office, and even mundane policy discussions devolve into sniping. At the emergency meeting last month, some council members questioned the mayor’s focus on a desalination project that, they said, would not solve the city’s immediate water problems.

“It’s clearly dysfunctional,” Peter Zanoni, the city manager, said in an interview.

Without a quick solution, there has been an all-out scramble for water in recent months. Residents have been asked to conserve as the city drills new wells. Even the school district is looking at drilling. All of the projects could cost around $1 billion, which would increase the city’s debt by 50 percent. Officials have also discussed building multiple desalination plants similar to those used in the Middle East to turn seawater in drinkable water.

They want us to just let them destroy us.

Edit: without

Hey folks,

I am flying in from NyC for a powerlifting competition with my wife. Due to unfortunate timing of my license expiring, we are not able to rent a car and drive the three hours. Flights are over 500 bucks and we don't want to take a bus. Does anyone have the best way to get there? Willing to consider anything and the budget is flexible. Thanks.

I recently got an ebike, a Heybike Mars 2.0. It goes 28mph and is at appropriate wattage. I am confused as to why a cop told me to ride on the sidewalk even tho the bike it’s self says not to ride on the side walk. I don’t want to break any rules, or upset people of the community and the rules seem pretty confusing. Can any one who is a veteran rider or someone who has a big understanding of the rules tell me which is appropriate? Any tips and tricks to ride around the city? Ty in advance!
Edit: I appreciate the feedback! I did look these laws up before I went for a ride, it just turns out the city is a bit different than where I initially got to ride first. :) but I look forward to continuing to ride it safely and to the best of my knowledge, correctly.

The line is always crazy. Is it that good or is it just new?

Their workers are nice, it feels small and yet has lots of options, their sushi is the best

I can’t believe I’ve tried so many H-E-B‘s and totally slept on this one