As historic drought conditions persist and groundwater sources in Central Texas remain critically depleted despite recent rains, state lawmakers have passed a sweeping $20 billion plan to fortify Texas’s fragile water infrastructure over the next two decades.
Over the June 1st weekend, the Senate passed House Joint Resolution 7, advancing a proposed constitutional amendment that would allocate $1 billion annually beginning in 2027 through 2047. The plan will go before voters this November and aims to fund both new water supply projects—like desalination and reservoir construction—and repairs to aging infrastructure. Senate Bill 7 was passed in conjunction, creating the administrative framework to guide funding through the Texas Water Development Board.
The water plan arrives at a time of heightened urgency. Recent rainfall in late May, while offering some short-term relief, has done little to replenish groundwater sources across the region.
