Corpus Christi Withholds Cryptomine Water Data Amid Drought

Corpus Christi has been in a drought, imposing water restrictions since December 2024. Drilled wells are dry, a desalination plant is delayed, and the city labels users drawing over 100,000 gallons per day as “high-volume” consumers.

The Texas Observer

The water utility denied a public-information request for the 2026 water-usage data of a cryptocurrency mining facility on a 75-acre site outside the city’s northwest limits. Citing the Texas Utilities Code, the city says the records reveal an individual customer’s account, and the Attorney General has 45 business days to rule.

The Texas Observer

Council members Roland Barrera and Sylvia Campos lead the debate. Peak Mining runs the Bitcoin mine, bought from Bootstrap Energy in December 2023. City Director Elisa Olsen handles statements; Governor Greg Abbott announced statewide proposals; Sierra Club volunteer Eli McKay leads opposition.

The Texas Observer

May-August 2023 water use totaled 11,563,000 gallons, averaging 127,500 gallons per day. Current use is about 100,000 gallons daily (?3 million monthly). The mine paid $2,639 in PILOT fees (Feb 2023–Jan 2025); county records show nearly $1 million in property taxes paid in January 2025.

The Texas Observer

Elisa Olsen said the finance team met Peak Mining on June 5 to review property improvements and balances. Barrera noted the IDA could end before 2039 due to unmet revenue targets. Abbott proposed repealing cryptomine tax exemptions, mandating closed-loop cooling, and annual reporting.

The Texas Observer

Council members Campos and Barrera call for IDA review, citing low revenue and high water use. McKay urges re-annexation, arguing the city lacks accountability for industrial water users. Members warn state law may preempt local water-restriction authority.

The Texas Observer

Utility records show an average of 127,500 gallons per day, while city staff cite 100,000 gallons per day. Financial filings list $2,639 in PILOT fees, yet county data indicate nearly $1 million in property taxes paid by operators.

The Texas Observer

The mine’s water consumption strains a municipal supply already below capacity, risking escalation to a Level 1 Water Emergency that would impose mandatory cuts on all users, including large petrochemical refineries.

The Texas Observer

• “Oh my God, that pisses me off.” — Sylvia Campos, City Council member

The Texas Observer

• “This is public information. This is water.” — Sylvia Campos, City Council member

The Texas Observer

• “If they’re using the water, they’re using the water, but my challenge is that we haven’t seen the return on the revenue from the IDA.” — Roland Barrera, City Council member

The Texas Observer

• “It seems like there’s just no accountability whatsoever, and it’s so frustrating to see these things happen, and then [the city] inviting more entities in, be it data centers or chemical plants,” — Eli McKay, Sierra Club Coastal Bend Group volunteer

The Texas Observer

City may end the IDA before 2039; the 2027 session will consider Abbott’s tax-exemption repeal and closed-loop cooling mandates.

The Texas Observer