A hearing has been scheduled that will examine water infrastructure. The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs has scheduled a hearing for Monday, May 11, at 9:00 am.
The following charges will be taken up which pertain to water:
- Prioritizing Utility Revenue for Infrastructure Maintenance: Study the practice of large municipalities transferring revenue from water and wastewater utilities to general funds. Assess the impact of such transfers on delays in projects, infrastructure maintenance backlogs, and water loss mitigation. Make recommendations to limit the percentage of utility revenue available for transfer and ensure ratepayer funds are dedicated exclusively to the sustainability and security of Texas water systems.
- Evaluating Desalination Viability and Regulatory Efficiency: Inventory existing facilities and review the permitting framework across relevant state agencies to improve efficiency. Assess the practicality of desalination in high-feasibility regions and identify opportunities for local-level implementation. Make recommendations to streamline the regulatory process.
- Both public and invited testimony will be heard. A live broadcast of the hearing will be available here. The full hearing notice can be found here.
HillCo Partners’ Policy Research Team will produce hearing reports for these respective hearings. Hearing reports are premium content. To access HillCo Partners’ premium content, please view instructions here.
