CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — City Manager Peter Zanoni’s new plan to rescue the Inner Harbor desalination project is drawing support from some familiar names at City Hall — but it’s also stirring familiar doubts.
The proposal, unveiled late last week, would allow the city to keep the stalled project alive by partnering with the second-place bidder from the original process. Zanoni says the move will cost taxpayers nothing while the company updates design and pricing plans over the next six months.
Backing has emerged from At-Large Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn and District 3 Councilman Eric Cantu, two members who had previously called for more clarity on cost and risk. “It’s a way to move forward without spending new money,” Cantu said Friday.
But others on the dais aren’t convinced that the reboot represents real progress. District 2 Councilwoman Sylvia Campos dismissed the “no-cost” label, calling the Inner Harbor location “bad for the environment” and questioning whether the water would serve residents or industry. “You know when you paint a pig, it’s still a pig,” Campos said. “ The discussion we should be having is, who is the water for — and how much is enough?”
District 5 Councilman Gil Hernandez also remains opposed, saying the project continues to raise “too many unanswered questions” and that the city’s “progressive design-build” method is still the wrong fit.
Supporters, including District 3 Councilman Roland Barrera, argue that the plan brings much-needed certainty. “It provides confidence for our community and our economy,” Barrera said, noting that both the governor’s office and the Texas Water Development Board have pushed the city to move forward.
That pressure has been building. After City Council voted earlier this year to stall the project, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office criticized the decision as “short-sighted,” and credit rating agencies Fitch, Moody’s and S&P all cut the city’s outlook to negative, citing drought conditions and stalled progress on water security.
A September poll by My Town/Our Future found most Corpus Christi residents want the city to advance desalination. Of the 511 people surveyed, 63% said the city should restart the project — but 67% said they have little confidence the council can find a solution.
Zanoni’s new plan goes before City Council on Nov. 18. Whether it signals real change or just another round in a long-running debate may depend on who voters decide to trust this time.
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