Governor Greg Abbott makes securing the state’s water future an emergency item for the legislature.
“I'm making our Texas-size investment in water an emergency Item. This legislative session will be Texas’ largest investment in water in state history. We'll work together to secure reliable water supplies for the next 50 years,” said Abbott.
You can call it a water crisis—or a water problem—either way Texas has been dealing with the lack of water for as long as people roamed the plains, deserts and escarpment of the region.
The state has always dealt with drought cycles and the 1950-1957 drought remains the worst in Texas history, devastating agriculture and causing severe water shortages.
That crisis led to the creation of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) in 1957, which was tasked with long-term water planning and financing water projects. Large-scale reservoir construction began in response, with over 200 reservoirs built across the state in the following decades.
But now with climate change, longer hotter summers and lessening rainfall— compounded with Texas’s rapid population growth—there is even put more demand on the limited water resources.
The overuse and over pumping have brought about groundwater depletion— leading to strict regulations on water pumping.
There have been successes with water conservation programs —and expansion of water recycling and reuse projects.
Texas continues to face water challenges due to climate change, urban expansion, and ongoing droughts.
Governor Abbott’s recent proposals are calling for large-scale desalination plants, expanded water recycling efforts, water infrastructure and pipeline repairs and new reservoirs and long-term water transfer projects.
Abbott is making water investment an emergency item in the current legislative session to put Texas on a path to have enough water for the next 50 years.
Sarah Schlessinger is the CEO of Texas Water Foundation, a statewide nonpartisan nonprofit that works in water policy and a statewide water campaign called “Texas Runs on Water.”
