The outlook for water in Texas is looking a bit … dry. The state will face a long-term water deficit if fails to develop new supplies and gets hit by another multi-year drought, according to a new report.
The report also suggests that a prolonged, severe drought, like that of the 1950s or 2011, could cost the state’s economy hundreds of billions of dollars.
Texas 2036, a non-profit, public policy organization, commissioned the report to explore the possible consequences of under-investment in the state’s water infrastructure.
That potential large loss of money is because industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and energy production heavily rely upon water availability, said Jeremy Mazur, director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at Texas 2036.
“If we don’t have reliable water infrastructure, then we likely cannot have the continuation of the Texas economic miracle,” he said. “But one of the more alarming findings was that if we don’t have enough reliable water supplies and have a long, severe drought, then the reliability of our state’s electric grid could come into question.”
For those reasons, Mazur said Texas 2036 has chosen water infrastructure as one its main areas of focus for this year’s legislative session. He said he plans to work with state lawmakers to help fund improvements to the state’s more than 10,000 drinking water and wastewater systems.
The organization estimates $154 billion will need to be spent on the state’s water infrastructure over the next 50 years.
That includes $59 billion for new water supplies, nearly $74 billion for drinking water upgrades and over $21 billion to fix wastewater systems.
To help finance those investments, Mazur is recommending state lawmakers establish a dedicated, lasting revenue stream for water infrastructure similar to what is currently done for parks and state highways.
“We already have dedicated consistent, reliable funding for state roads and highways coming from our sales tax and severance tax,” he said. “We think that the legislature should consider adopting a similar funding strategy for our water infrastructure.”
Specifically, Mazur is recommending that the legislature consider approving a $1 billion per year funding dedication to the recently created Texas Water Fund.
“We can begin to work on two things: first, expanding the water supply portfolio that we need for a growing and drought prone state,” he said. “But second, to fix the problems attributable to aging and deteriorating drinking water and wastewater systems.”
Sarah Kirkle, the Texas Water Association’s director of policy and legislative affairs, said her organization has similar priorities heading into this year’s legislative session.
Like Mazur, Kirkle said she hopes to work with state lawmakers to create a dedicated revenue source for the Texas Water Fund and Flood Infrastructure Fund.
“I think that’s really going to help set up our state to meet the challenges that we’re facing with water infrastructure, especially as it relates to population growth and extreme weather and economic development needs that we’re seeing in our growing state,” she said.
Mazur said it’s also important that lawmakers act now.
“In addition to these economic losses, if we don’t start investing in our water infrastructure now, the costs for fixing these issues are just going to go up over time,” he said.
“So the dollar that we don’t spend today will be $10 that we’re going to need to spend in 10 years from now … It’s the financially prudent thing to do to make these investments now, or otherwise we’re going to cost future taxpayers more dollars down the road.”
State Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway) told KUT that water is a “hot topic” in her district, which encompasses part of Travis County, as well as Blanco, Burnet, Gillespie and Kendall counties.
“Water is a major issue in my district, not only because we have high growth areas outside of Austin,” she said. “But also because in the rural areas of my district, we have so much agriculture.”
Troxclair recently filed House Bill 1344, which seeks to prioritize state water infrastructure funds for cities in high growth areas.
She pointed to Lago Vista as an example of a city that could benefit from this type of legislation.
“They (Lago Vista) are having issues keeping up with their infrastructure demands. They’re a small city, but because of their location right outside of Austin, they are growing rapidly,” she said. “House Bill 1344 just gives them a little bit [of] extra consideration from the Texas Water Development Board.”
Troxclair said she’s reminded of these issues every time she drives by Lake Travis, which, like Lago Vista, is also located in her district.
“That’s drinking water for a lot of Central Texans. And every time you drive by, it is a reminder that, you know, it’s a finite resource,” she said. “So (water) is a high priority for me this session.”