CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Corpus Christi is facing a looming water crisis, and five of the six scenarios projected by city officials point to a Level 1 water emergency.
Corpus Christi Water interim COO Nick Winkelmann stepped to the podium Tuesday night to present six models projecting the city's water future.
"These are the scenarios that we decided with our consultants to show you," Winkelmann said.
The six scenarios break down into three possible outcomes.
Scenarios A and B project the city would enter a Level 1 water emergency and curtailment as soon as this May. The only difference between the two is that Scenario A projects 4 million gallons a day from the Eastern Well Field, while Scenario B projects 10 million gallons a day.
Scenarios C and D are slightly more optimistic, projecting a Level 1 water emergency in October 2026. Scenario C includes the Western Well Fields bringing in water by April, while Scenario D accounts for a potential delay in permits for that project, with water coming by July.
Scenario E is the only outcome that would prevent a Level 1 water emergency. It assumes everything goes correctly — from the Evangeline project to the Western Wells — and also factors in some rainfall.
However, City Manager Peter Zanoni said the National Weather Service has told Corpus Christi Water that the city is expected to receive almost no significant rain over the next three months, making Scenario E the least likely outcome.
Zanoni said officials will refine these models in the weeks to come and will recommend a primary model in the future after gaining more resolution on water projects.
Adding to the sense of urgency, Winkelmann told council members that as lake levels drop, water quality is degrading and arsenic levels are worsening.
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