Corpus Christi Is Months From a Water Emergency
Corpus Christi’s reservoirs are running dry. A city of 500,000 people could face emergency water restrictions by September 2026 if drought conditions do not improve. The city has been under water restrictions for more than a year.
To avert disaster, Corpus Christi proposed drilling 22 emergency wells into the Evangeline Aquifer and pumping 24 million gallons per day through existing pipelines. The nearby town of Sinton, population 5,500, challenged the permits in court. On May 21, an administrative law judge ruled the challenge could proceed, potentially delaying the project for years.
City officials suspect Sinton is blocking the wells to reserve groundwater for data centers. In April 2026, Sinton rezoned 1,000 acres to industrial use. AEP acquired adjacent property for electrical infrastructure.
A former city engineer reported the project was “worth several billion dollars” and could require more than 3 million gallons of water per day. That exceeds Sinton’s entire current daily water usage.
“Their need for water for a large water user like a data center might best explain their actions.”
Peter Zanoni, Corpus Christi City Manager
The Scale of the Problem
Corpus Christi is one city. The pattern is statewide.
| Measure | 2025 | 2030 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Data center water use | 25 billion gallons/year | 29-161 billion gallons/year |
| Share of Texas water use | <1% | Up to 2.7% (9% by 2040) |
| Data center power demand | 8 GW | 220+ GW requested (7.5 GW approved) |
| Share of grid load growth | — | 46% of projected increase |
A single hyperscale facility can consume up to 5 million gallons of water per day, equivalent to a town of 50,000 people. There are over 400 data centers operating, under construction, or in planning across Texas. ERCOT projects they will add 24,195 MW by 2031, roughly the load of another Houston metro area.
UT Austin researchers found that by 2040, data centers could account for 3-9% of the state’s total water use. Texas already needs $174 billion over the next 50 years to avoid a major water crisis from drought, population growth, and industrial demand. Data centers were not part of that estimate.
Who Pays
Data center developers have received roughly $1 billion in tax breaks from Texas, according to Texas Tribune reporting. Public Citizen called that figure an undercount.
Wholesale electricity prices rose over 200% between 2021 and 2023. Retail rates increased more than 20% in the same period. When data centers connect to the grid without bearing the full cost of upgrades and backup capacity, ratepayers absorb the difference through higher bills.
In San Antonio alone, planned data center projects would require 26,000 MW of electricity, enough to power approximately 6 million homes.
“Will the state put community health and safety first? A hands-off approach will not fly with most Texans.”
Adrian Shelley, Texas Director, Public Citizen
What You Can Do
- Contact your Texas state representative and demand that data centers secure independent water sources and pay the full cost of grid connections before receiving permits
- Write your U.S. senators through Resist Bot and demand federal oversight of data center water usage in drought-stressed states
- Follow Corpus Christi’s fight through KEDT and Texas Public Radio for updates on the well permit litigation and the September water deadline
- Track the policy response through Public Citizen’s Texas data center guide and the Sierra Club Texas energy updates
Primary Sources
- KEDT: Corpus Christi Leaders Believe Data Center Plans Behind Water Supply Delays
- KUT: Data Centers Could Account for Up to 9% of Texas Water Use by 2040
- Texas Policy Research: Texas Data Center Dilemma
- Public Citizen: Unchecked Data Center Growth Threatens Texas Grid and Water
- Houston Public Media: ERCOT Updates Data Center Planning Process
- Inside Climate News: Texas Data Center Developers on Water Claims