City of Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) – Corpus Christi Water (CCW) has identified and secured a 36-day supply of permanganate from American vendors Brenntag and Hepure. At the same time, Carus Chemical Company is working to restart its operations after facing fire damage and causing a supply chain issue.

A fire at Carus Chemical Company, located in LaSalle, Illinois, occurred on January 11 and has significantly impacted water providers across the nation. The facility is the primary manufacturer of permanganate in the United States. CCW leadership acted quickly to acquire a 36-day supply from different permanganate sources. CCW continues to monitor the market and locate resources as they become available.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) does not require the chemical permanganate, and its use in water treatment is aesthetic with no effect on the safety of drinking water. Permanganate is used by many utilities around the nation, including CCW, to improve the taste of drinking water. The chemical is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and approved by TCEQ.