TAFT, Tx — A Taft laundromat owner says he has already taken steps to reduce water use, but he worries Corpus Christi's Level 1 water emergency plan could still impact his business.
Felipe Rodriguez co-owns Hometown Soap N Sudz in Taft with his wife. It is the community’s only residential laundromat. The business opened in 2024, and about 18 months ago, Rodriguez said they began making changes to cut water consumption.
“In order to help with the water situation, we, the wife and I, decided to get rid of our old machines that used about 70 to 75 gallons of water per use,” Rodriguez said.
After switching to 2025 high-efficiency washing machines, Rodriguez said they now use about 11 gallons of water per cycle. He added that the machines also clean clothes better than the older top-loaders they previously used.
“I would estimate that a customer comes in and washes about 3 or 4 loads, which uses about 60 to 70 gallons for those loads of wash,” Rodriguez said.
The City of Taft gets its water from the San Patricio Municipal Water District, which receives its water from the City of Corpus Christi. Rodriguez said he is concerned about how Corpus Christi’s Level 1 water emergency plan could affect his operation, and his customers share those concerns.
“There are several of our long-term customers that have come in. They’re asking, you know, how much more am I gonna go up on the machines? Am I gonna close?” Rodriguez said.
There is also a possibility that residents could turn to the laundromat more often to reduce water use at home. Taft Mayor Elida Castillo said the situation calls for broader conversations with the business community.
“There are conversations that we need to have with our small businesses, and these are, you know, I want to talk to other municipalities in the area to see how they’re planning to handle this situation,” Castillo said.
Corpus Christi Water was contacted for a statement on how the plan impacts not only the city, but also smaller Coastal Bend communities. As of this report, no response has been received. This story will be updated once a statement is provided.
Rodriguez said if the laundromat exceeds its monthly water allotment, he and his wife will try to absorb the cost as much as possible rather than raise prices for customers. Still, he says the financial pressure is real.
“It is worrisome because… my machines are $2.50. I mean, how much more am I gonna be able to raise it before it starts affecting the bottom line to where I can keep my doors open,” Rodriguez said.
Mayor Castillo said Taft is also working to stay ahead of the issue by installing smart water meters throughout the community.
“It’s really important that we get our smart water meters installed so citizens are able to track their daily water usage… and that way they can start making those changes before the Level 1 crisis gets announced,” Castillo said.
