Senate Bill 7 was approved unanimously in the Texas Senate. It is the first in a package of bills to pass.
The Texas Senate has unanimously approved Senate Bill 7, making it the first in a package of bills to pass.
It would dedicate a billion dollars in state money each year to water projects, creating a permanent funding stream for water infrastructure and projects. A key priority of the bill’s author, State Senator Charles Perry, is finding new water sources. The bill includes proposals to consider possibilities like desalination, water treatment projects, reservoir projects, and infrastructure development.
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WATCH HEREOn the Senate floor, Perry again emphasized that existing water sources would not meet the need and emphasized new development. “We have used up all our freshwater systems. We have a water supply problem,” he said. “I’m forcing us to go to the next level, which is: brackish, marine, produced, and other surface water that has not been permitted.”
The bill would establish the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee and the Office of Water Supply Conveyance Coordination to oversee connectivity between regions and the state.
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SIGN UP Several changes to the bill have been made since its first introduction, updated versions separate the funding used for the Texas Water Development Board’s administrative costs. New changes also limit the depletion of existing freshwater aquifers.
Perry’s bill relies heavily on collaboration between different regions of the state rather than competition. Different regional groups will handle planning and then be brought to the state for a collaborative agreement. “That’s kind of the magic behind Senate Bill 7; it’s that coordinated approach of having a target for all water supply future development to shoot for and shoot to,” said Perry. “It’s a 254-county water supply plan, or it’s no plan.”
Democrat State Senator Roland Gutirrez lauded the collaborative and innovative approach, saying on the Senate Floor “This is the most forward-thinking bill we’ve seen in an area where we used to fight each other, and will likely fight each other in the future if we don’t do this,” said Gutierrez, who’s rural district stretches from San Antonio into nearly El Paso.
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Last session, the 88th Texas Legislature invested $1 billion in water projects and infrastructure, but Perry says he believes the state is far behind where it needs to be. “We’re 25 years behind,” said Perry. “We got the billion-dollar conversations ahead of us, we can’t fix this overnight, but what we can do is start.”
Action from the legislature has been designated an emergency item by Governor Greg Abbott this session, and water supply conversations come at a key time. According to the Texas Water Development Board’s 2022 plan, the amount of water in the state is expected to decrease by 18% by 2070, while the water demand is expected to increase by 72%.
The Texas House will now take up SB 7 for debate. House Bill 16, authored by State Representative Cody Harris, is still pending. Harris’ Joint Resolution 7 was passed unanimously out of committee and awaits a hearing. Perry’s Joint Resolution 66 has been referred to a Senate finance committee.
Upon the approval of SB7, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick issued a statement saying in part:
“Last session, the Texas Legislature created the Texas Water Fund to fund water supply expansion. This session, the Texas Senate has added an additional $2.5 billion for the next biennium to address the water issue, while setting up a framework to invest $1 billion per year moving forward to meet the needs of our growing state. The complexity and massive demand required to meet our water needs are why the Senate and I are prioritizing SB 7 this session. The passage of this bill into law will go a long way to addressing the long-term water needs of our state.”
