Corpus Christi residents can turn the water taps back on to bathe, cook, wash and drink, announced Mayor Dan McQueen at a media conference Sunday, Dec. 18. The lifting of the no-use ban came on Day 4 of the city’s worst-ever water crisis — the fourth in 18 months. Twice in 2015 and once in May 2016, the city was put on a boil-water notice for vastly different reasons than the circumstance that led to the no-use notice. 
“We are currently at non-detect,” McQueen told reporters at the media conference, meaning no contamination was reported from samples taken by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Tests were run by the Environmental Protection Agency at a lab in Houston. 
“We will continue the sampling process, and TCEQ and the EPA will continue to evaluate the entire water system,” he continued.
While asking that residents limit their use of water for a few days to keep from putting a strain on the city’s system, McQueen also suggested that each home and business flush its pipes by running water for two to three minutes at each faucet. 
The five water distribution stations that have been giving out free water have been closed. Also, three city water towers were flushed twice each over the weekend to cleanse the tanks’ inside walls. 
Reports of four possible health problems have been reported to TCEQ and the EPA but not confirmed, McQueen said. Also, he reported that the two environmental organizations, one state and one federal, would begin an investigation into the situation. 
The mayor also said there was some confusion as to the timeline of when the water system was contaminated and when reports of dirty water were reported. A timeline released by Valero, the company named in at least four personal injury and class-action lawsuits related to the water crisis, puts the first incident at before Thanksgiving. 
Also named in the lawsuits is Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions Inc., which mixes the chemical Indulin AA-86 with hydrochloric acid to use as an asphalt emulsifier. A public statement from Ergon states the company is not directly connected to the city’s water supply line. Ergon buys water from Valero Marketing and Supply Co., which leases the property to them. 
The timeline released by Valero shows the first notice of dirty water was in November.
Nov. 23: Valero employees at the Asphalt Terminal administration building noticed rusty brown water at their faucet. They flushed their lines, and the water cleared up.Dec. 1: Valero employees at the Asphalt Terminal administration building saw brown water at their faucet again and called the city. The city sent a technician, who came out and flushed the lines and the water cleared up. The technician indicated he thought there was rust in the water.
Dec. 2: Valero continued to investigate the origin of the rusty water. Valero had no process connections that could have caused back flow to the potable water line, so they inquired with Ergon whether the issue could be related to Ergon operations.
Dec. 7: Valero employees at the Asphalt Terminal administration building noticed milky, sudsy water at their faucet and called the city. The city sent a technician, who flushed the lines, and the water cleared up.
Dec. 8: Valero employees alerted Ergon to the issue and again asked if it could be related to Ergon operations.
Dec. 12: Valero employees at the Asphalt Terminal administration building noticed milky, sudsy water at their faucet and called the city, including calling a city supervisor. The city sent a technician, who flushed the lines and the water cleared up. Valero employees alerted Ergon to the issue and again asked if it could be related to Ergon operations.
Dec. 13: The city sent personnel to the Valero Asphalt Terminal and to Ergon. The city flushed the lines again. Valero continued to work with the city to identify the source of the issue. 
Dec. 14: The city sent personnel again and spoke with Valero and Ergon personnel. Valero continues to work with the city to investigate the issue.
While this was going on, the city was getting a new council. Five newly elected members, including the mayor, were sworn in at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13. McQueen said they were told there were water issues, but no one knew what chemical was leaked or to what extent it had infiltrated the system.
“I’m hearing it, we’re investigating it, and when I know we have definitive information, I will communicate that,” McQueen said at one of several media briefings Friday, Dec. 16. 
Now that the water is deemed usable again, McQueen and officials from TCEQ said a full investigation of how this happened will begin in earnest. 
“This all happened on a third-party’s property,” McQueen said Saturday, Dec. 17. “I certainly — and all of us here at the city — intend on transferring the cost of this on the third party.”