After killing planned desalination plant, Corpus Christi tries to drill its way out of a water crisis
January 12, 2026
NUECES COUNTY — Texas’ eighth-largest city has seen the water crisis coming for years, and now it’s here: Its two main reservoirs are at historic lows amid a persistent drought and city leaders have told residents they’re less than a year away from major water cuts that could force them to reduce their water use by 25% or face extra fees.
Industry associations representing companies like Valero and LyondellBasell have warned city officials they might have to reduce their local operations or shut down completely if the city fails to secure more water supply.
And the city’s long-promised solution to the looming crisis — a planned desalination plant that would have turned millions of gallons of seawater into fresh water — collapsed last year under fierce criticism from environmental groups and local leaders over its ballooning price tag and its potential harm to Corpus Christi Bay’s ecosystem. Efforts to revive the project or a similar plant are underway but could take years.