A legislative package that may set aside billions of dollars to buy new water sources and — if approved by voters — pay for improvements to the state’s outdated water infrastructure was overwhelmingly passed by Texas senators on Monday.
Charles Perry, a Republican from Lubbock, is the author of Senate Bill 28 and Senate Joint Resolution 75, which would establish a new water supply fund run by the Texas Water Development Board. This fund would be used to finance new water supply initiatives, such as desalination initiatives and the importation of water from neighboring states. Additionally, the law would allocate funds for improving water infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.
A Water Supply Projects
On Monday, Perry remarked on the Senate floor, “Senate Bill 28 offers a pathway to finance water projects that our grandkids will be around for. According to him, the monies’ objectives are to speed up new, significant water supply projects as well as repair the state’s aging and leaky water infrastructure.
If the fund were to become law, Perry has stated that billions of dollars would be allocated to it, but he has not specified how much of that money would be spent on new water supply projects as opposed to infrastructure upgrades. Combined, the funds would support “bold” water supply projects that rely on new technology and may be more expensive up front than conventional techniques, as well as renovations for small rural water supply systems that are at risk of failing.
To address the state’s deteriorating infrastructure and anticipated water crisis, water advocacy groups believe that the fund needs to include an initial expenditure of at least $3 billion to $5 billion. We should have relevant news about Austin Tops Us Housing Market Growth And Stability List.
Extreme heat and severe drought this summer—the worst in a decade—pushed the state’s water supply to the breaking point. Reservoirs all around the state saw their water levels drop to a small portion of their capacity, forcing hundreds of required water restrictions on local households. Although the drought has subsided since the fall, it still affects 65% of the state.
Around half of Texas’ current water supply is surface water, including rivers and reservoirs, which is more vulnerable to climate change effects as temperatures increase and evaporation speeds up.
“The voters need to know we are thinking long-term about water supply,” Perry said during a Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing on March 20. “I would be shocked if it’s not supported in a big way.”
Because he is concerned about the viability of adding more dams, which are frequently hampered by funding, environmental restrictions, and local opposition, Perry has stated that he favors alternatives other than adding more reservoirs. Perry specifically mentioned desalination initiatives for brackish and “produced” water, which is saline and polluted water that is drawn up from the earth during oil fracking.
According to some Texas water advocates, there are not enough statistics to determine if decontaminating produced water is safe. Environmental groups have also expressed concerns about the necessity for adequate environmental protections for marine desalination plant discharge.
“I totally understand the need for water supply solutions in Texas,’” said Alex Ortiz, water resources specialist at Texas’ chapter of The Sierra Club. But, he added, “we really have a lot of work to do, still, in terms of protecting human health, the environment, and wildlife.”
When 14.9 million Texans experienced water interruptions during the 2021 winter storm that led to almost statewide power outages, issues with Texas’ water infrastructure have come to the public’s attention in recent years. When millions of Texans leaked their pipes in the frigid weather caused water pressure across the systems to plummet to dangerously low levels, water treatment plants without power were unable to ensure that the water was safe.
Yet, warnings to boil water are not uncommon outside of winter storms: According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, more than 2,000 boil-water notices were issued in Texas last year. The notifications may be sent for a number of reasons, but defective infrastructure is frequently one of them. As a result of leaking pipes brought on by drought and old pipes, tap water may become contaminated.
FL Senate Majority tweeted that it puts billions into reserves for future needs. You can see below.
.@GovRonDeSantis signed Florida’s 2022-23 budget. The balanced budget, passed by the legislature, makes significant investments in education, public safety, clean water & Everglades restoration, and provides historic tax cuts and puts billions into reserves for future needs. pic.twitter.com/q9xULtY0BE
— FL Senate Majority (@FLSenateGOP) June 3, 2022
Water loss is another effect of leaks. According to water loss audit data supplied by public water suppliers to the Texas Water Development Board, Texas lost 136 billion gallons of water in 2020 and 132 billion gallons in 2021. Data for 2022 is not yet available.
Texas’s rural areas are particularly at risk from deteriorating infrastructure. Seven of the ten water agencies that issued the most notifications last year were located in rural East Texas, according to a study by The Texas Tribune. Rural water utilities frequently lack the resources needed to submit grant applications.
According to SB 28, the Texas Water Development Board would be permitted to contract out technical support to assist rural towns in repairing their water infrastructure. More than 500 boil-water notifications were sent to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality during the first two months of 2023. You must check out the latest news about Heartbreaking News Five Children Stabbed, Three Dead By Mother In Texas.
If voters approve a portion of the legislation that Perry is advancing this year, it could take effect as early as January 1, 2024. House Bill 10, a companion measure to Perry’s, is currently being discussed by state representative Tracy King in the House Natural Resources committee. Texas voters will decide if the funds are generated during a fall election if the plans are enacted into law.
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