'Lack of ability to make a decision.' Governor Abbott critical of Corpus Christi leadership in city's water crisis
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott was critical of the city of Corpus Christi’s handling of its water supply Tuesday and warned the state could intervene if local leaders fail to make decisions.
Speaking Tuesday at an event hosted by Americans for Prosperity during the Texas legislative session, Abbott said the state has already provided hundreds of millions of dollars to help the city address its water challenges.
“We provided them with $750 million --three-quarters of a billion dollars -- in funding for them to address their water problem,” Abbott said. “You know what they did? They squandered it and then they changed their plan and then they were indecisive about what to do.”
Abbott argued the issue facing Corpus Christi is not a lack of water but a failure to act.
“Corpus Christi is a victim -- not because of lack of water,” he said. “They’re a victim because of a lack of ability to make a decision.”
The governor warned the state could eventually step in if the situation is not resolved.
“We can only give them a little time more before the state of Texas has to take over and micromanage that city and run that city to make sure that every resident who goes to the water tap and turns it on, they’re going to be getting water out of their faucet,” Abbott said. “We're fully committed to making sure the Corpus Christi residents are going to have the water they need to live their lives like the rest of the people in the state of Texas.”
Corpus Christi officials say they are continuing to work with state leaders on multiple water supply projects aimed at strengthening the region’s long-term water security.
City Manager Peter Zanoni told 3NEWS that the city appreciates the governor’s support and emphasized that several major water projects have recently been approved.
“We are deeply grateful for the prior and continued support from Governor Abbott and his office in helping Corpus Christi advance water security for the Coastal Bend,” Zanoni said in a statement. “This includes assistance in developing roughly $1 billion in recently approved City Council water supply projects.”
Zanoni added that continued cooperation with state leaders and agencies will be critical moving forward.
“Continued support from the governor and his team, as well as from our state delegation and state agencies like the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board, for our Inner Harbor desalination project will only continue to ensure greater water security for our region,” he said.
The governor’s comments came just hours after Corpus Christi leaders met with Sen. Adam Hinojosa to discuss the disputed Evangeline Aquifer project -- a meeting Sinton officials chose not to attend.
Corpus Christi leaders are pursuing several major water initiatives, including the controversial Inner Harbor desalination plant and a reverse osmosis facility designed to treat high-salinity groundwater.
Meanwhile, Lake Corpus Christi has fallen to
9.9% of its capacity, a mark not met since its creation in 1958, Zanoni
said last Thursday.
Zanoni said the drop does
not trigger any emergency or drought contingency measures, but the city
is acknowledging the milestone as the community monitors the ongoing
drought.
3NEWS reached out to Mayor Paulette Guajardo for comment Tuesday evening. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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