by Jeremy B. Mazur, Director of Infrastructure & Natural Resources Policy, Texas 2036
On June 18th, 2025, a small crowd gathered in an industrial warehouse in Lubbock to witness a historic change for Texas’ water future. The afternoon was sunny and hot, and the steady hum of electrical fans preserved the dignity of those gathered to witness the momentous occasion in business attire. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was
This was a momentous occasion for Texas’ economic miracle and state leaders keen on its preservation. Since 2000, Texas’ economy has exploded. State GDP surged from $742 billion in 2000 to $2.7 trillion in 2024, according to Federal Reserve Bank data. Key economic sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and
information technology, to name a few, grew at a rapid pace as more families began to call Texas “home.” Reliable water infrastructure helped facilitate this economic miracle, and state policymakers recognized that a sustained investment effort was necessary for its preservation and
there to sign Senate Bill 7 and House Joint Resolution 7, the signature water infrastructure funding measures from the recent legislative session. The governor was joined by state Sen. Charles Perry, SB 7’s author, and state Rep. Cody Harris, who penned HJR 7. Other legislative leaders, including House Speaker Dustin Burrows, flanked the governor at the signing table.
perseverance. Sobering lessons had been imparted in prior years through the economic toll attributable to unreliable infrastructure and its potential to tarnish Texas’ growth story. In early 2024, drought-induced water shortages precipitated the closure of a sugar mill in the Rio Grande Valley, eliminating hundreds of jobs and millions in economic activity. Several Texas cities, including Conroe, Dripping Springs and Magnolia, grappled with the constraints
Just 135 days earlier, and speaking in another warehouse in Austin, Abbott called for the 89th Legislature to approve a “Texas-sized” investment in water infrastructure in his State of the State address. The Legislature delivered, approving the largest water infrastructure funding package in state history. After decades of discussion and varied attempts, Texas was to have a reliable, dedicated funding stream for its water infrastructure needs.
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