Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sharply criticized leaders in Corpus Christi on Tuesday over the city’s looming water shortage, warning that the state could step in if local officials fail to act quickly to secure new supplies.
Speaking at a press conference, Abbott said the coastal city’s water problems stem not from a lack of available water but from what he described as years of indecision and poor planning by local leadership.
“Corpus Christi is a victim not because of lack of water. They're a victim because of a lack of ability to make a decision,” Abbott said after a reporter asked him about an investigation by the nonprofit newsroom Inside Climate News. The report cited former regional and city officials who blamed the potential shortage on delayed and flawed decisions about long-term water planning.
Abbott suggested that if city leaders do not move quickly to secure adequate supply, the state government could intervene directly.
“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, not because of what local leaders are doing, but because of what the state of Texas will do,” he said.
City officials say the situation is serious but not yet critical. According to Elisa Olsen, the city’s communications director, one projection shows Corpus Christi’s water supply could fall below expected demand as soon as June if conditions worsen.
“We are not out of water, but our water supply is declining,” Olsen said.
Corpus Christi currently has roughly $1 billion in water infrastructure projects underway intended to increase supply. However, many of those projects are not expected to be operational until later this year or sometime in 2027, leaving a potential gap between supply and demand in the short term.
The city’s growing water challenge is tied in part to environmental conditions and rapid industrial growth. Reservoir levels in the region remain low due to drought, while demand has surged as the area has experienced a decade-long boom in petrochemical and energy development along the Gulf Coast.
Industrial facilities near Corpus Christi’s bay require enormous quantities of water for processing and cooling operations. As more projects have come online, pressure on the municipal water system has intensified.
But critics argue that the current situation is not solely the result of drought or growth. Former city employees and local residents say years of political disputes and stalled planning have contributed significantly to the crisis. Among the most prominent setbacks was the cancellation of a large seawater desalination project after years of planning and spending.
Abbott pointed to financial support the state has already provided to help address the issue.
At the press conference, he said Texas had given Corpus Christi $750 million to help solve its water problems.
“You know what they did? They squandered it,” Abbott said.
Since the desalination project was scrapped roughly six months ago, city leaders have been searching for emergency alternatives. One of the main strategies has been drilling new groundwater wells in rural Nueces County and exploring additional drilling in neighboring San Patricio County.
Those efforts have faced complications. The groundwater in some areas is highly saline, making it difficult and expensive to treat. In addition, some rural residents have challenged the city’s drilling permits.
Meanwhile, the city has implemented conservation measures to reduce demand. Officials have banned lawn watering and require residents to wash cars and boats using only a 5-gallon bucket or face fines.
City leaders have also restarted efforts to pursue desalination as a long-term solution, though those facilities could take years to build and bring online.
State lawmakers say the issue reflects a broader challenge facing fast-growing regions across Texas. Charles Perry, a Republican from Lubbock who has pushed for increased statewide water funding, said local resistance to paying for water infrastructure can make long-term planning difficult.
“Locals did not want to pay for water, and that is one aspect that we’re seeing play out in Corpus that we’re gonna have conversations about around the state,” Perry said during an interview with a local radio station.
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