Legislature launches its most ambitious effort in a decade to shore up Texas’ water...
it will cost about $80 billion to ensure there’s enough water for the state by 2070, largely to make up for depleting aquifers.
Leaky pipes also drain the water supply, wasting about 136 billion gallons of water a year, according to estimates from the Texas Water Development Board, the state’s lead water agency. The legislation requires state water officials to spend at least $250 million on projects aimed at expanding the state’s water supply, which can include desalination, aquifer storage and recycling what’s known as “produced water” —Environmental groups and some water advocates sought to exclude desalination from the list of eligible projects, arguing the process would threaten nearby bays and estuaries because state regulators have yet to limit certain byproducts.
The bill sets a target of adding 7 million acre-feet of new water supply — enough to cover about 7 million football fields with a foot of water — by 2033, which would nearly close the gap projected by state officials for 2070. Critics have charged Perry with pushing for unproven technology in pursuit of an unrealistic goal.
Beyond the billion-dollar fund, lawmakers earmarked another $125 million to unlock $625 million in federal funds to pay for more water-related projects. The money comes from a massive infrastructure package approved by Congress in late 2021, which promises states a huge return if they provide a local match of 20 percent.
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