CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City of Corpus Christi said that on Monday Feb. 21, Corpus Christi will be adding water from the Colorado River to its water blend as a water source change. This means, the City of Corpus Christi's water supply will now come from four different water sources; the Colorado River, Lake Texana, Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon.
This water blend will be used regularly moving forward, and the city said it will be used monthly for a minimum of three days. The city said they do not expect any noticeable changes in residents’ water.
In late January, Corpus Christi residents were experiencing discolored water with an odd odor coming from their faucets. At the time, City Manager Peter Zanoni told KRIS 6 News that the yellowish water that residents were seeing was coming from the Colorado River.
He had explained that the recent rain caused changes in the water levels from the river, so more contact with the ground meant a more earthy taste and smell in the water.
However, almost a week later, the city told us that a chemical they used during water treatment was also to blame for the foul water.
Director of Water Utilities Gabriel Ramirez said that the city uses sodium permanganate to remove bad tastes and smells from the water, but they had to stop using it when temperatures dipped below 40-degrees.
As frequent cold fronts were hitting the Coastal Bend at the time, the city could not use the chemical to treat the water, causing the taste and smell.
Despite the lack of sodium permanganate, the city said the water was still completely disinfected and safe to use.
If you notice any odd tastes or smells when the water reaches homes on Feb. 24, or if you have more questions about this change, you can call the city at 361-826-2489.
