Editor’s note: On March 20, Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni began hosting weekly media briefings to provide updates on measures being taken to safeguard the region’s water supply.
Zanoni and CC Water are presenting a message built on control, stability, and regional leadership. They emphasize that Corpus Christi is a major regional provider serving over 20 communities across seven counties, working collaboratively with surrounding areas, and building a diversified water portfolio through groundwater, desalination contracts, reuse, and partnerships. At the same time, they are preparing the public for curtailment, rate increases, surcharges, and possible restrictions on new water connections, framing these as responsible planning measures.
However, the Water Conservation Committee presents a conflicting reality. They acknowledge that industry uses approximately 55% to 60% of the total water supply, yet conservation tools have limited impact on those large users. Most conservation measures and restrictions are aimed at residential customers, meaning the group responsible for the majority of demand is the hardest to regulate. They admitted, residents and commercial users have cut back billions in water usage while industry use remains flat…