Corpus Christi Withholds Water Usage Records from Cryptocurrency Mine

The city of Corpus Christi is facing a water crisis and has refused to release the latest water usage records for a cryptocurrency mine located on its outskirts. The mine, which consumes up to 100,000 gallons per day, was previously reported to have used over 11 million gallons from May to August last year.

City Council member Roland Barrera stated that city staff told him the mine is still using around 3 million gallons of water per month. However, when asked for the latest records, the city cited a section of the Texas Utilities Code allowing nondisclosure of individual customer accounts and appealed to the Texas Office of the Attorney General.

Council member Sylvia Campos expressed outrage at the decision to withhold public information: 'This is public information. This is water.'

The mine's ownership has undergone several changes since its development, with Peak Mining buying Bootstrap's mine in December 2023. The project was originally expected to generate $32-$50 million in tax revenue over a decade but has so far paid only $2,639 in Payments in Lieu of Taxes fees.