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Amistad and Falcon reservoirs, our main sources of water for our cities, industry and agriculture, hold the lowest water levels observed since they were built. This lack of water impacts every aspect of our life in the Valley.
There is no escaping the water issue in Texas and especially in the Valley. From the oil and gas industry to our bays and estuaries, Texas runs on water, and how we address these challenges will have consequences for everyone and everything we care about.
On Nov. 7, Texas voters will have the chance to weigh in on this ongoing issue with Proposition 6 and the creation of the Texas Water Fund.
Since 1957 and the creation of the Texas Water Development Board, Texas politicians have favored constitutional amendments to ask voters about investment in water, and Prop. 6 is the 15th such vote.
If Prop. 6 passes, it will prompt the creation of the Texas Water Fund, for which the Texas Legislature has budgeted $1 billion. If approved, the funds will be distributed by the TWDB to serve a broad range of water concerns, including developing new supplies, repairing and replacing existing infrastructure, reducing water loss, providing technical assistance, education and meeting rural community needs. If the proposition fails, the money will stay in the general revenue fund.
Texas has plenty of water, but the inexpensive, abundant, clean and conveniently located natural sources are all claimed. We face a future where droughts will force choices about suburban lawns, maintaining the flows of springs and rivers, agricultural irrigation and expensive investments to develop and transport new water, reuse and store what we have, and repair and replace our leaky pipes.
The 2022 State Water Plan estimates it will cost an additional $80 billion to meet water supply demands by 2070. This is on top of the $60 billion estimated to maintain the systems we currently use to deliver clean drinking water. This does not account for the study and protection of the aquifers and natural systems that provide the water in the first place, nor sewage treatment and flood preparation.
Still, the $1 billion earmarked for the Texas Water Fund, should voters approve its creation, unlocks great potential. In addition to direct distributions, the funds can be leveraged to help utilities qualify for low-interest and forgivable loans. Importantly, TWDB has a strong track record of successfully stewarding funds to maximize and assist local efforts such as these.
The inclusion of Prop. 6 on the ballot marks the first time in a decade the legislature has asked Texas voters to weigh in on the question of if, and how, state tax dollars should be invested in water. These questions represent a much larger conversation, of which everyone should be a part. As the challenges mount, water will only become a bigger and more pressing issue, and it deserves our utmost attention today in the Valley and across our state.
Jim Darling is president of the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority and served as mayor of McAllen from 2013 to 2021.
