City Council Gives Final Approval of Level 1 Water Emergency Policies
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—At Tuesday's regularly scheduled City Council meeting, the City Council gave final approval on second reading to an ordinance establishing Level 1 Water Emergency following weeks of workshops, operational review, and customer-focused planning. The first reading was approved at the May 12, 2026, City Council Meeting.
These measures will only go into effect if and when the City officially declares a Level One Water Emergency, which is currently projected for December 2026.
City Council also noted that baselines for multi-family and wholesale customers will be reviewed further once those customers provide the necessary data, with any changes to be considered at a future City Council meeting. 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.
• Multi-family account baselines are based on the average monthly usage for each account from 2023 through 2025, excluding the lowest monthly value for each calendar month.
• 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:
• 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.
Surcharge Authorization
In a separate action, the City Council approved a resolution today authorizing the City Manager or designee to initiate surcharges upon the declaration of a level 1 Water Emergency.
Surcharge Rates
Surcharges apply only to customers who exceed their water allocation.
• 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
• Multi-family 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
• 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 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 is done with a handheld hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle or by hand using a 5-gallon bucket or smaller.
• 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.
