ROBSTOWN, Tx — On Wednesday evening, the Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District 3 presented a water update to the Robstown City Council, addressing concerns from both leaders and residents.
The meeting kicked off with only one resident speaking during public comment regarding concerns about the district and its water service interconnect with the City of Corpus Christi.
Soon after, District Manager Marcos Alaniz began the water update.
"Let's talk about the arsenic. Let's get that out of the way because I know that's it weighs heavily in a lot of the residents' minds," Alaniz said.
Alaniz stated the district has taken its own private samples, which have shown low levels of arsenic, though the TCEQ still has to conduct the next quarterly testing.
The district says its interconnect with Corpus Christi is a way to address drought concerns, and fast-tracking the project will increase the water supply.
Alaniz emphasized that Corpus Christi is reimbursing the district for the work.
"None of our residents or constituents are paying one penny for that, none, zero, it's all being paid by the city of Corpus," Alaniz said.
The project could be completed in 20 to 30 days, with Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels returning to normal. Council members raised questions about new Corpus Christi wells and their impact on local water, but Alaniz maintains his view that the water is still safe to drink.
"I have not been told by TCEQ otherwise that our water is not safe to drink. You may have a taste and odor because of the high TDS," Alaniz said. "I can't deny that because the higher TDS, the worse the water tastes. But it's still safe to drink because of the disinfectant that we're using to treat the water."
The hour-long discussion left council members more informed, helping ease some concerns for now.
The meeting ended with a reminder from Robstown Mayor Mary Ann Saenz.
"We need to be conservative. We need to be very conscious of how we're using and how much water we're using," Saenz said.
