As Corpus Christi city leaders weigh possible Level One water emergency rules that could restrict when and how residents use water, viewers raised a direct request: show their water bills.
Water conservation has become one of Corpus Christi’s most closely watched issues, and many residents have questioned whether city officials are “walking the walk” when it comes to reducing usage.
In response, KRIS 6 Anchor, Michelle Hofmann requested monthly water bills and usage records from all 10 members of the City Council, the mayor, and City Manager Peter Zanoni.
Out of the 10 officials contacted, only three responded.
At-Large Council Member Carolyn Vaughn initially indicated she would share her water bill. After a follow-up request, those records were not provided.
City Manager Peter Zanoni and Mayor Paulette Guajardo did provide their utility bills for review.
The documents they shared show both average roughly 3,000 gallons of water use per month.
Zanoni said the numbers reflect an effort toward conservation in his household.
“I was glad to report to KRIS 6, when I asked how much water am I using anyway? Are we being model citizens? I think we are. We’re a family of four. We use about 3,000 gallons per month… with the exception of two months where there were things like the Christmas, New Year’s holiday and then the spring break week,” Zanoni said.
He added the figures demonstrate that conservation is achievable for an average family. Zanoni also pushed back on what he described as a common misunderstanding about city utility bills, saying the total amount residents see each month includes more than just water usage.
“One could say that my water bill is $152, but it’s really not. It’s numerous city services provided by the city,” he said.
According to Zanoni, those charges can include wastewater services, stormwater fees, gas service, and trash collection.
“I think the water portion gets a bad rap when we focus on that bottom line total,” he added.
When asked about concerns over whether city leaders receive special treatment on utility costs, Zanoni said billing is uniform.
“It’s the same bill for everyone,” he said.
Zanoni also said he personally monitors his household’s water usage through a leak detection device called Flume, which tracks water use in real time and sends alerts if leaks are detected.
He encouraged residents to become more aware of how much water they use daily with the city's new online portal allowing residential and commercial customers to monitor their own consumption history.
According to Zanoni, users can enter their account number and address to see current billing cycle usage, previous consumption, and historical trends.
“This is a value-added product to our customers to help them better understand their water consumption,” he said.
Zanoni said the effort comes as the city prepares for the possibility of implementing Level One water emergency measures.
“We want to make sure we take care of our residential customers primarily and first,” he said.
He added that city data shows residential customers have already reduced average monthly water usage from about 6,000 gallons to roughly 4,500 gallons over the past two years.
The monthly utility statement Mayor Guajardo provided shows her household was billed $126.64 for residential utility services for the billing cycle ending May 7, 2026.
According to the six-month consumption history shown on the bill, the mayor's household averaged about 3,000 gallons of water per month.
Zanoni also noted that water supply concerns are not unique to Corpus Christi, saying communities across Texas, the United States and other countries are facing similar challenges tied to drought conditions and growing demand.
“We’re not alone out there,” he said.
KRIS 6 News has reached back out to the remaining council members who did not respond. If additional water bills or usage records are provided, this story will be updated.
If you have questions you want answered about city water use or conservation efforts, you can email michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com.
