Texas approves $20 billion for water infrastructure, pending voter approval
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott signed historic water infrastructure legislation Wednesday, aiming to invest over $20 billion to the state's water fund over the next 22 years. Abbott signed the bill at SIMFLO, a pump manufacturing facility in Lubbock.
The Republican Governor signed Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, and House Joint Resolution 7 by Perry and Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, which together represent what Abbott called "the largest water law in the history of the great state of Texas."
HJR 7, a constitutional amendment, would provide $1 billion a year from 2027 to 2047 to fund water projects statewide. The amendment will require voter approval in November's election to take effect. SB 7 establishes the operational framework for how the funding would be distributed and managed through the Texas Water Development Board.
Abbott included water infrastructure among his legislative priorities for the 89th session, citing the state's rapid population growth and aging infrastructure.
"Every day, on average in Texas, there's more than 1,000 more people who go to a faucet and turn that on because of the magnitude of the growth," Abbott said during the ceremony. "When they go to the faucet to turn it on, they expect the water to flow."
The legislation addresses multiple water challenges facing Texas, including the loss of approximately 88 billion gallons annually due to broken and aging pipes, according to Abbott.
Under the plan, half of the $20 billion would fund new water supply sources, while the other half would support water infrastructure development and repair existing systems. The funding operates as a revolving loan program, providing $1 billion annually for 20 years with repaid loans reinvested in additional projects.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, emphasized the economic implications of the water crisis.
"People want to come here because of our economy, because of our culture, and they are coming here with U-hauls," Burrows said. "If they show up and they turn on that spigot, and water doesn't come out, those U-hauls are going to go the absolute opposite direction."
SB 7 tasks the Texas Water Development Board with coordinating large-scale water infrastructure projects across regions, promoting standardized specifications for interoperable systems and minimizing eminent domain use by maximizing existing transportation and utility easements.
Perry emphasized the regional approach to water planning, moving away from individual city projects toward coordinated efforts across multiple jurisdictions.
"We're moving from a siloed kind of city-by-city conversation to where we're going to have more of an oversight and more of a coordinated effort," Perry said.
The legislation received overwhelming support in both chambers, with 138 votes in the House and unanimous support in the Senate.
Harris noted the long-term impact of the water investment.
"What we've done with this legislation impacts generations of Texans, and if we wanted the Texas miracle to continue, we couldn't do that without passing this legislation," Harris said.
The constitutional amendment will appear on ballots statewide in November's election.