Generational investment in Texas’ water future signed into law
LUBBOCK—For the second consecutive legislative session, Texas lawmakers have prioritized water security by passing a legislative package that offers a generational, sustained investment in the state’s water infrastructure. Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 7 into law, laying the foundation for the largest water infrastructure investment in Texas history.
After Texas voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of the Texas Water Fund and its $1 billion initial appropriation in November 2023, leaders across the state—including Governor Abbott, who called for a “Texas sized investment in water infrastructure”—have continued to work on this important issue.
This spring, the Texas Legislature strengthened this investment with a $2.5 billion allocation to the Texas Water Development Board, and with the passage of a historic legislative package that advances constitutionally dedicated funding through House Joint Resolution 7 (HJR 7) and its accompanying Senate Bill 7 (SB 7). Authored by Senator Charles Perry and Representative Cody Harris, this package dedicates up to $1 billion annually from sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund for 20 years.
“This marks a generational leap in water policy in Texas,” said Chairman Perry. “The Texas economy runs on water. For Texas to continue growing and prospering, Texas must make these crucial investments to secure our additional water supply and expand, upgrade, repair, and replace our water infrastructure. Texans will forever remember this moment as the time we rightly chose to secure our water future.”
“The perpetuation of the Texas economic miracle depends on the reliability of our water infrastructure,” said Chairman Harris. “This includes expanding our water supply portfolio and fixing our aging water and wastewater systems. Texas is growing fast, and our water supply isn’t keeping up. SB 7 and HJR 7 are Texas-sized investments that put us on a path to strengthen the state’s water system and, in turn, create jobs, support population growth, and attract new investments to water infrastructure and new water sources for generations to come.”
In total, Texas lawmakers filed over 300 bills that impact water. More than half of these bills were authored by members of the Texas Water Caucus—a bipartisan, bicameral, educational collaborative of 84 legislators, chaired by Representative Stan Kitzman, that provides education and resources on the various issues facing water in Texas.
With SB 7 now signed into law, Texas Water Caucus members are focused on educating constituents about the upcoming November 2025 vote to approve the constitutional amendment in HRJ 7 required to secure long-term funding for the state’s water future.
“The Texas Water Caucus remains committed to educating Texans and prioritizing our state’s growing water challenges,” said Sarah Schlessinger, CEO of Texas Water Foundation. “We look forward to continuing to prioritize water leading up to November’s vote and in the years to come.”
For more information on Texas Water Foundation, visit www.texaswater.org.
