CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — While City Council members spent Thursday poring over numbers in a budget workshop, a billion-dollar question remained unanswered: What happens next with the controversial Inner Harbor desalination project?
Two weeks ago, council members voted to pause the project and asked the Texas Water Development Board for clarity. The central concern: Would canceling the project cost the city more than $500 million in potential state funding?
So far, there has been no response from the state. And for some council members, it wouldn’t matter anyway.
“I’m not voting for it, regardless of what the Water Board says,” said Councilman Eric Cantu.
“I think people already know how I’m voting — it’s a no,” added Councilwoman Sylvia Campos.
Councilman Gil Hernandez said that unless the project’s $1.2 billion price tag drops significantly, he won’t support it either. Instead, he is advocating for smaller, regional efforts — including wastewater reuse, groundwater development and a partnership with the South Texas Water Authority.
Hernandez also joined Council members Carolyn Vaughn, Cantu and Campos in voting to enact a 30-day pause.
According to city officials, that delay could cost ratepayers between $5 million to $10 million.
The Inner Harbor site was selected years ago. It is industrial-zoned, already permitted and was originally intended to help meet long-term water demand. But with the estimated cost now at $1.2 billion and public skepticism growing, the project’s future is uncertain.
Mayor Paulette Guajardo remains one of its strongest supporters.
“I stand with the people of Corpus Christi who overwhelmingly need water,” Guajardo said. “I’m calling on those four council members to vote for water.”
Regardless of what the council decides, residents are likely to feel the impact. City officials say that if the desalination project is scrapped, monthly water bills could rise by more than $8, to help pay back money already spent. If it moves forward, the increase could exceed $11.
According to the city’s water dashboard, Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir are at just 14.7% combined capacity. If conditions don’t improve, emergency water restrictions could take effect by December 2026.
For now, as city leaders debate how to balance the budget, the biggest cost may not be financial — it could be water.
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