Corpus Christi to resume desalination discussions Nov. 18

Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni is pushing a plan to revive the controversial Inner Harbor desalination project by shifting to the city’s second-ranked contractor, Corpus Christi Desalination Partners (CCDP), which would develop new design and construction proposals. The plan follows the city council’s September vote to halt the original $1.2 billion contract after extensive public opposition.

Mayor Paulette Guajardo insists the project must move forward, while several council members remain skeptical based on continued concerns about cost, environmental risks, and the impact on the Hillcrest neighborhood. Since ending design funding for the Inner Harbor project in September, the council has acted to secure groundwater and treated effluent sources, and purchased a water reservation from the Nueces River Authority’s proposed desalination plant on Harbor Island.

A proposed timeline would bring CCDP’s bid to the council by early 2026, potentially leading to a long-term operations agreement if ultimately approved by a council majority.

Read the full story by Corpus Christi Caller Times reporter Kirsten Crow.