Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) has filed SB 7, which makes changes to the financial assistance programs for local water infrastructure projects administered by the TWDB. Per Sen. Perry’s press release, SB 7:
- Creates the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee to provide oversight of all Texas Water Fund (TWF) activities;
- Requires TWDB to submit a biennial progress report to the Legislature regarding projects financed with TWF money;
- Creates the Office of Water Supply Conveyance Coordination to optimize water supply infrastructure construction for regional and statewide interconnection and interoperability;
- Protects non-saline groundwater reserves in the state’s rapidly depleting freshwater aquifers;
- Preserves local control over surface water rights;
- Authorizes TWDB’s state water bank program to purchase out-of-state water for importation to meet the needs of Texans across the state;
- Expands both project eligibility for financing from the New Water Supply for Texas Fund and the available methods of financing;
- Prioritizes wastewater treatment projects in rural communities and small cities for financial assistance; and
- Adds the Flood Infrastructure Fund to the TWF structure, allowing flood projects to be financed using the funding stream constitutionally dedicated by SJR 66.
SB 7 joins other previously filed bills in Sen. Perry’s water package, including SJR 66 dedicating up to $1 billion to the Texas Water Fund, SB 1288 consolidating water supply financing advisory committees, SB 1289 adding the Flood Infrastructure Fund to the TWF structure, and SB 1629 making reservoir projects eligible for funding, among other provisions.
The House counterparts to Sen. Perry’s plan laid out in SB 7 include HB 16 and HJR 7. HillCo will continue to monitor these and other water supply bills as they move through the legislative process.
