Several bills that will provide billions of dollars in funding to boost Texas’ aging water infrastructure became law this week. Another water infrastructure funding bill will go before Texas voters in November.
In February, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared water security funding as an emergency item for lawmakers to consider during this year’s legislative session. The governor’s pitch came amid severe water security challenges in Texas. The state loses billions of gallons of water each year because of aging infrastructure and extreme heat. A growing population has also strained water systems.
Abbott asked the state legislature to allocate $1 billion a year over 10 years to fund new water supplies and repairs on existing pipes. He also advocated investing in existing rural water programs, developing new water supply strategies, and creating a long-term funding stream for critical water infrastructure. These proposed investments were intended to support the state’s water infrastructure and supplies for the next 50 years.
Texas’ New Water Infrastructure Funding Bills
- This bill establishes the administrative framework for funding water projects through the Texas Water Development Board. The bill has been sent to Gov. Abbott.
- The Senate’s general appropriations bill allots funding for water projects and water-related state agencies such as the Texas Water Development Board. The bill has been sent to the state’s comptroller, who is in charge of the state’s finances.
- This supplemental appropriations bill puts aside more than $2 billion to fund water projects over the next two years. That amount includes about $1.6 billion for the Water Development Board to be used for water infrastructure and supply projects as well as grants. The bill has been sent to Gov. Abbott.
House Joint Resolution 7
- This resolution, which will be sent to voters in November, proposes a constitutional amendment to allot a portion of state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas water fund and provide for the allocation and use of those funds. It would dedicate $1 billion from these taxes each year for 20 years starting in 2027. The resolution has been filed with the Texas Secretary of State.