Quenching Thirst: TAMU-CC Researchers, Powered by $2.5M EPA Grant, Work to Bring Clean Water to Coastal Colonias
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For the vast majority of Texans living in cities, accessing clean water is as simple as turning on a faucet, but for thousands living outside city limits in Texas coastal colonias, the reality is quite different. These properties, many sold to families in the 1950s and 60s without basic infrastructure, still lack access to fundamental services like sewage, electricity, and running water. Instead, residents must source their water from wells or distant, inconvenient sources.
For Alisa Castillo and her husband Juan, residents of the Cindy Lane colonia near Robstown in Nueces County, this means buying and hauling several five-gallon containers of water every week from the store to their home, a physically demanding task that has become harder with age.
“We bought this property when we first got married, not knowing the water was undrinkable,” Alissa Castillo explained. “It’s very salty. We use the well water to bathe and do laundry, but we drink and cook with bottled water. It’s becoming more and more expensive as the cost of living and fuel rises, and the heavy lifting is getting harder as we get older, especially after Juan’s hernia.”
For the Castillo family, unreliable access to clean water isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a health risk. Flooding and poor drainage often leave behind stagnant water, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and the potential for groundwater contamination. Moreover, the mineral-heavy well water corrodes home appliances, leading to added expenses.
After decades of water insecurity for those living in Texas coastal colonias, hope is finally on the horizon. A research team from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Center for Water Supply Studies (CWSS) has launched the “Quenching Thirst: Water Equity in Coastal Colonias” initiative, funded by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gulf of Mexico Division. This innovative program aims to address the water challenges faced by underserved communities, offering sustainable solutions to improve water quality and promote long-term resilience.
“The ‘Quenching Thirst’ project is more than just a water initiative; it’s about restoring clean water to coastal colonia communities that have long been overlooked,” explained Dr. Dorina Murgulet, the project’s Principal Investigator and Director of CWSS. “At TAMU-CC’s Center for Water Supply Studies, we work closely with these communities, co-developing solutions that address their unique challenges. By providing access to clean, safe drinking water, we’re not only improving environmental and public health but empowering residents with sustainable, community-driven solutions. This project ensures that every community, regardless of its socioeconomic status, has the tools and knowledge to thrive in the face of future environmental challenges.”
The five-year initiative will fund at least eight community-led projects, focusing on methods like rainwater harvesting, greywater filtration, and stormwater mitigation to reduce pollution in both local watersheds and the Gulf of Mexico. Each project will be monitored to ensure water quality standards are met, with educational outreach to train the “water stewards” and raise awareness within the community.
“This sub-award program is designed to empower residents who may be less familiar with securing funding,” said Jessica Palitza ’22, project coordinator and Islander alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. “We’ve lowered the barriers for applying by accepting shorter concept submissions, ensuring the community has a say in the environmental future of their region. By capturing rainwater or filtering greywater, these projects will help reduce the pollutant load into the Gulf of Mexico, one drop at a time.”
With funding up to $212,500 available per project, this initiative is expected to make a significant impact on local water security and the health of the Gulf.
“We are extremely excited about the investment in this project,” said Marc Wyatt, U.S. EPA Region 4 Gulf of Mexico Division Director. “The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi project will be one of the many success stories on how the public, non-profit, and various sectors of government work together to create thriving communities.”
To the Castillo family, this means more than just clean water — it’s a lifeline to a healthier, more sustainable future.
“I was happy to hear about this EPA-funded grant because it comes at the most crucial time for colonias’ residents,” said Roberto Hernandez, Nueces County Commissioner for Precinct 1. “One of my main concerns is helping people who live in the colonias. They deserve access to safe drinking water.”
For more information about this initiative, and to find out how your community organization can apply for a grant, visit tamucc.edu/science/research/cwss/projects/epa.
