No modern American city has ever run out of water. But chances are rising that Corpus Christi could be the first. Absent a biblical rainfall event, its reservoirs are on track to completely dry up by next year.
"We have no precedent to follow. There's no manual, there's no video," Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni told the City Council in March, when local leaders first acknowledged that disaster could be imminent.
Plans presented Tuesday would formally prohibit watering lawns, washing cars and filling residential swimming pools. The plans proposed a $500 fine and misdemeanor for a first violation and suspension of water service for a second. Water service could also be suspended for users that exceed their allotted water amount for more than a month.
"Industry simply cannot compete long-term without reliable water resources," said Kara Rivas — a spokesperson for Flint Hills Resources, which supplies jet fuel to Texas airports from its Corpus Christi refinery — at a contentious City Council meeting last year. "This would force the shutdown of at least some aspects of our operations."
If extreme drought conditions persist, the industrial water users could suck the reservoirs dry in a year. But the city, in theory, would never let it get to that point, experts say. It would likely shut the large spigots to the industrial users and face their lawyers in court before it allowed the 500,000 residents of the Coastal Bend to be left without drinking water.
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"We have no precedent to follow. There's no manual, there's no video," Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni told the City Council in March, when local leaders first acknowledged that disaster could be imminent.
Plans presented Tuesday would formally prohibit watering lawns, washing cars and filling residential swimming pools. The plans proposed a $500 fine and misdemeanor for a first violation and suspension of water service for a second. Water service could also be suspended for users that exceed their allotted water amount for more than a month.
How will the water emergency affect chemical plants and refineries?
This is the elephant in the room."Industry simply cannot compete long-term without reliable water resources," said Kara Rivas — a spokesperson for Flint Hills Resources, which supplies jet fuel to Texas airports from its Corpus Christi refinery — at a contentious City Council meeting last year. "This would force the shutdown of at least some aspects of our operations."
If extreme drought conditions persist, the industrial water users could suck the reservoirs dry in a year. But the city, in theory, would never let it get to that point, experts say. It would likely shut the large spigots to the industrial users and face their lawyers in court before it allowed the 500,000 residents of the Coastal Bend to be left without drinking water.
More
Corpus Christi plans to declare a 'water emergency.' What does that mean?
City leaders intend to make unprecedented cuts to water use in September, but they aren't sure exactly how.
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ing God send rain and help with the water supply issue.
