Severe drought threatens to cripple gasoline production hub in South Texas, officials hope for hurricane relief

(SeaPRwire) –   In drought-stricken southern Texas, a multi-year dry spell has drained Corpus Christi’s water supplies so severely that the city is rushing to avoid a shortage—one that might impose harsh cutbacks on residents and cripple the refineries and petrochemical facilities in this key energy hub.

Experts noted that the city hadn’t anticipated such a severe drought, and planned new sources of dependable water failed to materialize on schedule. These issues cropped up just as the city was expanding its water sales to large industrial clients.

“We simply haven’t kept pace with water supply and infrastructure needs the way we ought to have. This problem has been building up over decades,” stated Peter Zanoni, who has served as city manager since 2019.

Corpus Christi—a city of roughly 317,000 residents that also provides water to adjacent counties—has deep ties to its oil and gas sector. The area produces everyday necessities such as fuel and steel, which are then shipped globally.

Zanoni emphasized that the city is very unlikely to run out of water entirely, but without substantial rainfall or new supply sources, residents could face mandatory cutbacks and industries might have to operate with reduced water access. Amidst the Iran war driving up gas prices, this shortage is impacting a region responsible for 5% of U.S. gasoline production.

Droughts are a frequent occurrence, but this particular one has persisted for the majority of the last seven years. Critical reservoirs are at their all-time lowest levels. The fastest solution would be a change in weather patterns.

“We’re actively praying for a hurricane,” said David Loeb, a former city council member, with a hint of irony. Loeb doesn’t wish harm on anyone, but after dealing with prior droughts during his council tenure, he feels the rain shortage deeply.

The drought isn’t projected to ease by summer, leaving officials rushing to access more groundwater to prevent a crisis.

Lessons from last time

Following the last drought in the early 2010s, the city greenlit a pipeline extension to bring additional water from the Colorado River and encouraged conservation efforts. In subsequent years, water usage actually decreased. Spotting an opportunity, the city added a petrochemical plant and steel mill to its extensive roster of industrial clients.

City officials had accounted for drought in their planning—just not a drought of this magnitude, Zanoni explained. It has struck particularly hard because reservoirs never fully refilled after the previous dry spell.

And this drought has arrived at an inopportune moment.

It took years, but the pipeline extension finally reached its full capacity only last year. At the same time, talks about constructing a desalination plant (which would remove salt from seawater, a solution suggested in 2016 that could be drought-resistant) stalled due to worries over costs up to $1.3 billion and environmental effects.

“If the city council at that time had seen that project through, we would have that plant operational today,” Zanoni noted.

It’s an industry town

Corpus Christi has implemented its long-standing plan to reduce water consumption. Stage 1 calls for voluntary measures from residents, such as shorter showers and limited watering frequency. Right now, the city is in Stage 3, which involves restrictions on most outdoor water usage.

Isabel Araiza, co-founder of a grassroots organization focused on water issues, stated that many residents are frustrated because they can’t water their lawns, their bills are poised to jump significantly, and they might face penalties. She added that some people don’t believe industries will be required to bear their share of the burden.

The city’s drought plan permits charging residents and businesses additional fees for excessive water use. However, large industries— which Zanoni says use up to 60% of the city’s water—can choose to pay a permanent surcharge to sidestep the risk of much higher fees during drought periods.

Araiza describes this as a flawed system. Once industries pay the surcharge, she argued, they have no motivation to save water.

The city has defended the system, noting in a statement that industries do not “get a free pass on water conservation” or mandatory cutbacks. The statement also mentioned that business surcharges have generated $6 million annually.

Bob Paulison, executive director of the Coastal Bend Industry Association, stated that it’s incorrect to claim industries aren’t contributing. He said companies have halted landscaping, recycle water for critical cooling purposes, and are exploring alternative water sources.

The city hasn’t yet applied any additional charges to anyone.

However, Zanoni noted that water rates could eventually double as the city invests around $1 billion in infrastructure—costs that some claim will benefit industries disproportionately and increase the cost of living for residents.

What’s the way out?

The city declares a water emergency when it has 180 days left before supply can no longer meet demand. Officials have evaluated various scenarios involving new water sources and drought relief, and have indicated an emergency could occur as soon as May, as late as October, or not at all.

The city has accessed millions of gallons of new groundwater and aims to secure even more.

The Evangeline Groundwater Project is the largest unknown factor; it includes a pipeline and around two dozen wells that could provide enough water to avert an emergency. It still requires state approval, but the city hopes water could start flowing as early as November. New water sources have downsides, though—some have sparked water quality concerns, and there are fears that over-pumping could deplete groundwater reserves.

If the city is forced to declare a water emergency, it would gain the ability to more strictly limit water use—with mandatory reductions applying equally to all industries and residents. Loeb described this as a sensitive decision that would likely turn into a “knock-down drag-out bloodbath.”

Since residents have already cut their water use on average, any future mandatory reductions will likely hit industries harder.

“It would be an unimaginable disaster,” said Don Roach, former assistant general manager of the San Patricio Municipal Water District, which serves many industrial clients in the area. “If you cut off cooling water to most of these industries, they have no choice but to shut down—there’s no alternative.”

Paulison noted that companies producing fuel, polymers, iron, and steel “have the least flexibility when it comes to cutting water use.” He added, though, that these companies are still hopeful they can reduce consumption, adapt, and keep operating.

Zanoni stated that the city’s plans should buy enough time to prevent the worst-case scenario.

“We hope we don’t reach that point, but we don’t rely on hope alone,” he added.