Formal protests filed against the proposed Evangeline groundwater project will now move into a new legal phase, after the local Groundwater Conservation District board voted Friday to send the disputed permits to a preliminary hearing process.
As previously reported by KRIS 6 News, the City of Sinton and St. Paul Water Supply Corporation filed formal protests against Evangeline drilling and transport permit applications tied to Corpus Christi’s groundwater supply plans. The filings raised serious questions about whether the project could stay on its original construction timeline.
Corpus Christi officials have described Evangeline as a critical future water source during drought conditions. The plan involves pumping water from the Evangeline Aquifer in San Patricio County, initially producing up to 12 million gallons per day, with the option to expand to 24 million.
Corpus Christi’s drought relief timeline jeopardized as groundwater permits head to legal hearing
However, a recent Corpus Christi city memo written by Corpus Christi Water and adressed to City Manager Peter Zanoni and staff, shows the Evangeline Groundwater Project is expected to produce just 4 million gallons of water per day (MGD) in the near term, far below the 12 MGD figure previously discussed…