During the 2023 legislative session, the Texas Living Waters team worked hard to shape the passage of Senate Bill 28. This bill created the Texas Water Fund and the New Water Supply Fund for Texas: a combined $1 billion investment in our water infrastructure systems.
The funding is an important step towards addressing longstanding issues and meeting existing need for projects across the state. The EPA estimates, for example, that Texas will need more than $60 billion of investment over the next several years to ensure that all residents have safe and reliable water.
The programs will be overseen by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) which already oversees statewide programs like the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, and the Rural Water Assistance Fund.
TWDB is currently deciding how to implement the programs. Through the end of April, the agency is seeking public input through three surveys focused on different aspects of the Texas Water Fund. TWDB will also accept written comments via email. We’re making our comments and responses for Surveys #1 and #3 available for you to use and adapt if you would like to submit feedback to the agency.
We believe that TWDB should prioritize solutions that we know will work in the face of climate change, rising demand, and dwindling supplies for our river ecosystems. Below, we’ve outlined our priorities:
- Water loss mitigation: Every year, Texas loses 572,000 acre feet of potable water through leaking and broken pipes. By making the necessary repairs and replacements, we can dramatically reduce water wasted across the state. This ensures that our water reaches its destination, and could save cities millions of dollars in the process.
- Conservation programs: Reducing per-capita water usage will help Texas lower its demand during heat waves and droughts.
- Bolster the Texas Water Trust: This is an important program that allows for the protection of our river ecosystems. However, it’s historically been underutilized. (Read more about the trust on our blog.)
- Protect public and environmental health: The New Water Supply for Texas Fund could encourage marine desalination and treating waste water from fracking. We believe that these types of programs need more safeguards in place to protect people and ecosystems from unintended consequences.
You can access more information about the Texas Water Fund here.
