Texas Water Board to Distribute $1 Billion for Infrastructure Improvements

The Texas Water Development Board announced it will distribute $1 billion for water infrastructure projects across the state.

According to an article by Carlos Nogueras Ramos in The Texas Tribune, the money will primarily fund low-interest loans and grants for water system upgrades ad conservation initiatives. Ramos adds, “No more than $45 million will be reserved for communities with fewer than 1,000 residents. And about $130 million will go to towns with 1,001 and 10,000 residents.”

Ramos notes that Texas loses billions of gallons every year due to aging infrastructure including broken pipes that are often too expensive for small towns with limited tax bases to repair. “The water board said Texas will have to spend $80 billion between local, state and federal funding by 2070 to keep its infrastructure up-to-date, according to the 2022 water plan.”

Communities will likely see improvements in their infrastructure in about a year as projects get off the ground. “Securing workers and contractors will be a challenge for communities seeking to improve their water infrastructure,” warned Perry Fowler, executive director of trade association the Texas Water Infrastructure Network.