Mary Rhodes Pipeline Begins Gradual Return to Service

City of Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TEXAS (News Release) – Corpus Christi Water (CCW) and the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority (LNRA) have begun returning the Mary Rhodes Pipeline (MRP) to service following repairs near the O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant (ONSWTP) river intake station.

The interior mortar coating on the repaired section was completed on October 7, CCW and LNRA also completed a low-flow pump setup to purge air from the pipeline, an important step to ensure the system can safely return to full operation.

Work on the site yesterday included completing the exterior mortar coating and installing sacrificial anodes, which are metal components that protect the pipe from corrosion. Backfilling of the excavation was also completed.

CCW and LNRA will continue to monitor the pipeline to ensure all air is removed. The ONSWTP will begin receiving partial flow from the MRP today. The startup process is expected to continue tonight, when the pipeline is expected to resume operation at Schedule 3, or 55 million gallons per day. The MRP will operate at the Schedule 3 maximum while upgrades at the Woodsboro Pump Station are underway.