AUSTIN, Texas — During his State of the State address Sunday, Governor Abbott declared investing in water infrastructure an emergency item this session.
Texas loses $2 billion in revenue every year just from leaking pipes, but it’s not just aging infrastructure costing the state money. Between a booming population and extreme weather, the Texas Water Alliance says the state needs hundreds of billions of dollars to protect our water supply, an investment the governor seems intent on making.
“This generational investment in water is so important, I’m declaring it an emergency item this session,” Abbott said. “An issue that affects every family and every business is water.”
During his State of the State address Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott said he wants to put Texas on a path to have plenty of water for the next 50 years.
“We will make the largest investment in water in the history of the state of Texas,” Abbott said.
Sarah Kirkle with the Texas Water Association says this is tremendous news. Her association works with water districts across the state and says right now everyone is struggling.
“We’re really facing incredible needs for additional financing for water infrastructure,” Kirkle said. “Our communities are shouldering the large burden of investing in their water infrastructure at the local level.”
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Data from the policy think tank Texas 2036 shows the problem is three-fold: a historic drought causing water scarcity, not enough reservoirs to keep up with booming population growth, and aging infrastructure that also can’t keep up.
The state’s economy has grown by 63 percent in just a decade, and getting ahead requires an “all of the above” approach.
“We really need to get it right when it comes to water infrastructure, and make sure that the systems, infrastructure, and pipes are in place to support continued economic and population growth.” Texas 2036 Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy Jeremy Mazur said.
It’s not just the economy, Mazur says our entire power grid relies on water too.
“Natural gas, coal or nuclear-fired generation, all these generation sources require water to produce electricity,” Mazur said.
Last session, Kirkle says the legislature took a first good step by creating the $1 billion Texas Water Fund.
“That money is so appreciated, but it went very quickly, and we have hardly any left,” Kirkle said.
Texas 2036 estimates needing at least $154 billion over the next five decades, which must start with a regular revenue stream for the state fund. Abbott promises that funding will be “Texas-sized.”
“The Texas miracle is something that we’re all very proud of, and we certainly don’t want water to be what holds the state back when we continue to grow and thrive,” Kirkle said.
The Texas Constitution normally precludes the House and Senate from passing legislation during the first sixty days of the session. Since this is now an emergency item, lawmakers can immediately vote on bills specifically related to these measures.