City Council Approves Updates to Level 1 Water Emergency Policies
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—At today’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting, the Council approved several updates related to the proposed Level 1 Water Emergency following weeks of workshops, operational review, and residential-focused planning.
The approved updates reflect a residential-first approach, prioritizing the needs of homeowners and families while maintaining responsible water management across the community.
These measures will only go into effect if and when the City officially declares a Level One Water Emergency, which is currently projected for September 2026.
Approved changes include:
Water Baselines & Allocations
· The residential monthly baseline has been increased from 7,000 to 8,000 gallons per month.
• The residential water allocation is set at 6,000 gallons per month, calculated by applying a 25% curtailment to the 8,000-gallon baseline.
• Commercial account baselines are based on the average monthly usage for each account from 2021 through 2023, excluding the lowest monthly value for each calendar month.
• Large volume account baselines are seasonal, determined using average monthly usages from 2022 through 2024 (excluding the lowest monthly value) as follows:
o Summer: average of monthly usages from June through September
o Spring/Fall: average of monthly usages from April–May and October–November
o Winter: average of monthly usages from January to March and December
• Wholesale customer baselines are also seasonal and follow the same methodology (averages from 2022–2024).
• During a Level 1 Water Emergency, the curtailment percentage is 25%. Each customer’s water allocation equals their baseline, reduced by the curtailment percentage.
Surcharges
Surcharges are optional and apply only to customers who exceed their water allocation or baseline. They will be approved as a separate action from the City Council by resolution.
• Residential accounts:
o $4.00 per 1,000 gallons over the 6,000-gallon allocation
o $8.00 per 1,000 gallons over the 8,000-gallon baseline
• Commercial accounts:
o $4.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned allocation
o $8.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned baseline
• Large volume accounts:
o $4.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned allocation
o $8.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned baseline
• Wholesale customers:
o $4.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned allocation
o $8.00 per 1,000 gallons over the individually assigned baseline
Enforcement
• Residential customers will not be subject to violations, penalties, or enforcement actions for exceeding their water baseline or allocation.
• Citations will apply only to prohibited uses. Landscape watering remains prohibited during a Level 1 Water Emergency.
Vehicle & Boat Washing
• Boat, vehicle, motorbike, trailer, and other vehicle washing will be permitted on any day when washing with a water hose with a positive shutoff valve.
• Commercial car washes will be permitted to continue operating with City water and must comply with all Drought Contingency Plan measures applicable to commercial customers.
For more information, please contact Ashley Marion, Strategic Business Manager at 361-826-3706 or ashleym6@corpuschristitx.gov.
