Corpus Christi on the brink: two months from emergency water rules

Corpus Christi could be just two months from declaring a level-one water emergency, with five projected scenarios showing shortages by May and little rainfall forecast through July–September. City leaders have not finalized a curtailment plan, while Gov. Abbott has ordered agencies to fast-track actions to stretch supplies. Officials are pushing to restart a stalled desalination project and are drilling wells in Nueces and San Patricio counties to shore up supply, despite permitting hurdles and potential legal challenges. The council approved hundreds of millions for groundwater projects and land purchases, but completion is years away and gaps in supply remain possible.