Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
On August 20, 2024, Pharr, Texas, became a focal point for an urgent discussion on the future of water in the Rio Grande Valley. The Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium, led by State Representative Terry Canales and State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, gathered a diverse range of stakeholders—including federal, state, and local legislators, community leaders, and water experts—to address the critical water challenges facing the region. Mounting concerns over population growth, severe weather, and intricate international water agreements have made water management a vital priority.
The symposium opened with Texas Water Foundation CEO Sarah Schlessinger, who set the collaborative tone for the event. Highlighting the importance of water as a unifying issue, Schlessinger remarked, “Water is one of the few topics that transcend politics and unites communities, yet it remains one of the most complicated challenges we face.” Her words reflected the complexity and urgency of the Valley’s water issues, emphasizing the event’s purpose to analyze the challenges and stimulate concrete action for a sustainable water future.
Schlessinger outlined the importance of addressing shared obstacles like aging infrastructure, funding, and workforce shortages. She emphasized that such challenges are common across Texas but particularly acute in the Rio Grande Valley. “Identifying that aging infrastructure, funding, and workforce are challenges everybody has in common,” Schlessinger said, “we thought it would be important to pull in some of the statewide experts to talk about the infrastructure trends and where we are regarding funding.” This set the stage for one of the symposium’s keynote speakers, Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Chairwoman Brooke Paup, whose agency is key in managing water infrastructure funding across the state.
Chairwoman Paup took the podium, emphasizing the essential role of water in Texas’ prosperity. “What is our most important resource in Texas? It is water. There’s no more significant issue facing the state than water, period,” she declared. Paup highlighted the irreplaceable role of water in supporting Texas’ growth, stating, “If you don’t have water, your schools don’t thrive. Your communities don’t thrive; your economies don’t grow. You have to have water to survive.”
Texas’ recent population surge has exacerbated the water demand. Paup noted, “We, the state, must take the blinders off and realize that water is not an infinite resource. At one point, there will need to be more water in the state at the growth we are experiencing.” With approximately 1,300 new residents arriving daily, Texas has become the eighth-largest economy in the world, a growth trajectory that demands serious investment in water resources. Highlighting the local impact, Paup added, “You come down to the RGV, look around, and see how the drought has impacted this area, and it has been extraordinarily harsh in the last few years, and all eyes are on it.”
The need for resources was a recurrent theme throughout Paup’s remarks. She praised the recent legislative appropriation of $1 billion for water supply initiatives, which, though substantial, only scratches the surface of the need. “That 1 billion in any other state would seem like a lot of money, right?” Paup reflected. “But then you look at the state water plan, which is solely future-looking; it is only for the future water supply in Texas. And that price tag is $80 billion.” This staggering figure, which does not even include infrastructure repair or flood mitigation, illustrates the scope of the state’s water needs.
Paup also introduced Texas’ first-ever state flood plan, which carries an additional price tag of $55 billion. “The price tag on the state flood plan is $55 billion,” she explained, “so that 1 billion was terrific. And I am extraordinarily thankful and blessed that we received it. We need more water resources right now.” Paup’s remarks highlighted the critical importance of pushing for funding and resources to meet the state’s—and especially the Valley’s—growing water needs.
Texas has faced drought and devastating floods in recent years, challenges requiring unique planning and responses. “This region has been integral in our flood planning efforts,” Paup noted. “The flood issues down here are unique and devastating when they happen.” She praised the region’s contributions to the state’s flood planning, emphasizing the collaborative approach of local stakeholders and the TWDB.
Despite the formidable price tags and logistical challenges, Paup expressed optimism about the state’s progress in addressing water management, underscoring the importance of sustained efforts and ongoing investment. “We are extraordinarily proud of our agency,” she said, “After five years during the pandemic, we drafted the state flood plan and presented it to the legislature.”
The Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium represented a significant step toward sustainable water solutions for the Rio Grande Valley. As Paup and Schlessinger’s comments emphasized, water issues are as multifaceted as they are essential, demanding a collaborative approach to ensure that communities, economies, and future generations have access to this critical resource.
