On Monday, August 24, the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a public hearing in Weslaco to discuss some important issues about Texas water, including how the state plans for future water needs and what new water supply projects Texas should pursue.
The Texas House Committee on Natural Resources handles many of the major water issues that come before the Texas House, including water planning, groundwater conservation districts, and oversight of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).
The hearing starts at 10 a.m. at Weslaco City Hall. You can read the public notice here. While the committee will hear invited testimony only, the public is strongly encouraged to submit their comments through the House Public Comment Portal:
- Scroll down to “Comments regarding”
- Click "Bills and Topics" (a drop-down list will appear)
- Find the August 24 Natural Resources hearing, and
- Select the topic you want to comment on
The comment box is limited to 3,000 characters and you can't attach a document, so keep that in mind before you start writing.
What Should Lower Rio Grande Valley Residents Tell Lawmakers?
You don't need to be a water expert to submit comments, and this is probably the most important part: in your comments, tell legislators how local water issues impact your everyday lives. If you've dealt with repeated boil-water notices, discolored or foul-smelling tap water, unreliable service, failing wastewater infrastructure, or no reliable water or wastewater connection at all, mention that. Explain what happened: How often does it happen? How has it affected your family or your community? What would fixing the problem mean for you? Legislators hear a lot of numbers and technical testimony, and they also need to hear what inadequate water infrastructure actually means for the people whom they represent.
Below are a few suggested issues that are worth raising in your comments.
Texas water planning needs to account for water use by data centers
The committee will examine how Texas projects future water needs and decides which water supply projects make it into regional and state water plans. One major concern with the Draft 2027 State Water Plan is the missing projections for water demand by AI data centers. With hundreds of data centers operating or proposed in Texas, we need better information about how much water these facilities will use, where that water will come from, and how existing water users will be impacted. You can learn more in our Data Centers & Water factsheet and our comments on the Draft 2027 State Water Plan.
New water supply shouldn't come at the expense of our coastal ecosystems
The committee is also studying "innovative water supply strategies," which are projects that could receive funding through the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. For the Rio Grande Valley, seawater desalination is particularly relevant. While Texas has been considering large-scale desalination as a future water source for a number of years now, the state still doesn't have enforceable water quality standards for salinity to protect our bays and estuaries from highly saline brine discharges. Environmental impacts and the well-being of Texas communities can't be an afterthought as we plan for our future water needs. And before investing in expensive and potentially damaging projects, Texas should make the most of strategies we already know work: water conservation, reuse, and fixing leaky pipes. Read more about seawater desalination in Texas.
Don't forget the existing water infrastructure that people already depend on
While lawmakers are talking about finding new “innovative” sources of water, people across the Valley are still dealing with basic water and wastewater infrastructure needs. The Economically Distressed Areas Program (or EDAP) helps communities where water or wastewater service doesn't exist or existing systems are failing. The program depends on funding from the Legislature. As Texas prepares to invest significantly more public money in water infrastructure (following the passage of Proposition 4 last fall), communities that have historically struggled to pay for these improvements shouldn't be left behind. To learn more about EDAP, you can watch the recent meeting of the Sierra Club’s Water for People & the Environment Committee dedicated to this topic.
In addition, below are some suggested talking points on this issue:
- The Legislature should continue investing in EDAP and appropriate enough funding for this program in the next legislative session to help communities that cannot afford these infrastructure improvements on their own
- As Texas begins directing billions of public dollars to water infrastructure (since Proposition 4 passed last year and unlocked $1B/year for water infrastructure), historically underserved communities should receive a fair share of that investment
- Water infrastructure needs in colonias and other economically distressed areas should be considered as part of the state's broader water planning process, not treated as a separate issue.
- The Legislature should make it easier for communities with limited resources to access state water funding and technical assistance.
Continue Staying Involved after the Weslaco Hearing
The upcoming hearing isn't the only place where Lower Rio Grande Valley residents can have a say in how Texas plans for water. The Valley is part of Region M, the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group, one of the sixteen groups responsible for developing the regional plans that eventually become the State Water Plan. Learn more about regional water planning in our blog.
While regional water planning meetings are open to the public, too many Texans don't know this opportunity to engage in local water planning exists. Language and accessibility can be among the barriers to participation, particularly when most planning materials are available primarily in English. If that's been a barrier for you or your community, that's worth telling lawmakers too!
With Proposition 4, Texas is preparing to invest billions more in water infrastructure over the coming years. Where that money goes, and which communities and water projects benefit from it, matters significantly. Texans, especially communities with the greatest water needs, need to be part of that conversation.