x
Breaking News
More () »

Corpus Christi water official to lead discussion on future water resources during statewide conference

Ramos said having a diversified water source can help make our region's water supply more reliable. The city continues its effort to obtain a seawater desal plant.

Industry experts and city leaders from across the state are slated to come together in Austin next week for a water conservation meeting. 

Leaders with the Corpus Christi Water Department will also be in attendance. 

The conference will serve as a way for different parts of the state to learn from each other.  

As population and industry continue to grow in the Coastal Bend, so does the need for water. 

"The City of Corpus Christi serves nearly 500,000 people in the Coastal Bend, providing a supply that is drought proof, that can lead us into the future, that can be a backbone to our water supply," city resource manager Esteban Ramos said. 

The city currently gets our water from Lake Corpus Christi, Choke Canyon and Lake Texana, which is brought in by the Mary Rhodes pipeline. 

City of Corpus Christi Resource Manager Esteban Ramos will be part of a panel discussion at the state conference. 

"Our current supply is based on surface water and surface water is dependent upon rainfall," he said.

Ramos know that having a diversified water source can help make our region's water supply more reliable. 

"Its time to think outside the box and seawater desalination is the opportunity the city with its great resources can provide for its future," he said. 

Following this past summer's brutal drought, lake levels dropped -- leading to water restrictions. 

Months later, Corpus Christi remains in stage one restrictions, which means watering your lawn with a sprinkler is only allowed on your trash day.

Currently the combined lake levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon sits at 43.3 percent. It was back in October the city was granted a water rights intake permit by the TCEQ. The first of two permits needed to move forward with a proposed $200 million desalination plant. 

"The benefits for residents and the community as a whole is bringing that resiliency, that drought proof water supply to our region so one day we don't have to go into restrictions, that we have a water source to lead us into the future," he said. 

Just before Christmas, council members gave their approval to gain the land for the project.

"Working with our partners Flint Hills Natural Resources, at the corner of Nueces Bay Boulevard and Broadway St, potential for a seawater facility, secure that land is very important," he said. 

The city said other possible water sources they've researched include aquifer storage and recovery.

"You can discharge it or store it for a period of time then you can pull it out treat it, use it again but its re using the source over and over again," he said. 

Ramos said that conservation is the key -- something that residents can help with. 

The conference starts Monday. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out