City considers water plant expansion and potential groundwater purchase
On the heels of Corpus Christi entering its most severe drought in nearly a decade, the City Council on Tuesday may tackle a slew of water-related items – including upgrades to existing water supply infrastructure and potential new supply.
Stage 2 drought, declared earlier this week, represents the combined capacity of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir – the city’s primary supply sources – dropping to below 30%.
Among the council’s considerations will be an $86 million contract for construction of improvements of the city’s existing O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant – a project that would develop among other items new water infrastructure and chemical storage facilities, according to city documents.
Bringing those projects online would increase the water plant’s treatment capacity to about 115 million gallons of water per day – and eventually, by as much as 160 million gallons of water per day.
Also on the agenda are closed session items related water rights to the Nueces River – a discussion that prompted by a contract between the Robstown-area Water Control and Improvement District and a proposed ammonia plant – as well as groundwater, sourced from the Evangeline Aquifer.
More: Here are the rules for Stage 2 drought restrictions – and why they are in effect.
More: City officials are concerned about water usage by a proposed ammonia plant. Here's why.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi mulls water plant improvements, groundwater purchase
