Texas to Benefit from Generational Investment in Water from 88th Legislative Session

June 22, 2023

Media Contact: Haley Durbin

AUSTIN – Texas’ water security and aging water infrastructure was top of mind ahead of the Texas 88th Legislative Session. Dedicated leadership, diverse coalitions, and a growing awareness of water’s critical role resulted in a generational investment towards Texas’ water security.

Nearly two hundred water bills were filed during the 88th Texas Legislature, and total legislator engagements on water increased from the previous session, indicating the fragile state of Texas water infrastructure and a growing concern. Of the water bills that were filed, 80% were by members of the Texas House Water Caucus, a bi-partisan collaborative chaired by Representative Tracy O. King that grew to include 73 legislators.

The most significant water bill passed this session was Senate Bill 28 (SB 28) and its accompanying Senate Joint Resolution 75 (SJR 75), authored by Texas Senator Charles Perry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs. This legislation creates a new constitutionally protected fund for new water supplies and critical infrastructure needs. SB 28 was just recently signed into law by Governor Abbott and received almost unanimous approval in both the House and Senate.

“Wide support for this legislation signals a strong message on the critical state of water in Texas, and the need to invest in it,” said Sarah Schlessinger, CEO of Texas Water Foundation. “In addition to the impressive dedication of diverse coalitions, we are encouraged by the growing number of Texas legislators who took this issue seriously.”

Voters will have a chance to approve the $1 billion funding package, the largest legislative investment in water infrastructure since 2013, allocated for SB 28 on the November ballot. While these dollars will help address the state’s growing water supply needs and water infrastructure challenges in rural communities, many in the water industry consider this investment as an important down payment on the hundreds of billions of dollars needed for future water security.

“Texas must continue to invest meaningful dollars towards managing our water resources efficiently to ensure our rapidly growing population has access to clean, safe and secure water supplies in the years to come,” said Schlessinger.

Determining spending allocations and implementing new programs will be met with the compounding challenge of water workforce shortages. New data revealed that 60 percent of the industry is experiencing workforce-related challenges, and 76 percent identified hiring and retaining qualified employees as a future risk.

The Texas Legislature, water industry, advocacy organizations, and public attention to this growing issue yielded important progress for water this session, and Texans should hold similar expectations for advancing water security in the years to come.

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For more information on Texas Water Foundation, visit www.texaswater.org.

Sarah SchlessingerJune 22, 2023