Water is our most precious resource, and at Bayou City Waterkeeper, we’re working to ensure that this vital resource remains accessible, clean, and affordable. Over the past month, our team has been actively engaged in advocacy efforts at the federal and state level, participating in key meetings with federal and state legislators, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and engaging on milestone state legislative bills to push for meaningful reforms in water infrastructure funding and policy.
Southern SRF Advocacy Project: Pushing for equity in water funding
As part of our Southern State Revolving Fund (SRF) Advocacy Project, we recently met with TWDB staff to discuss our recommendations for improving the SRF programs in Texas. This collaborative initiative, led by PolicyLink and River Network, brings together community-based organizations to address racial and economic disparities in access to clean and affordable water across southern states, where historical underinvestment has severely impacted communities of color.
Our Texas cohort includes Bayou City Waterkeeper, Center for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER), Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), and West Street Recovery (WSR). Together, we’re now in the second phase of this multi-year project, working directly with state agencies and policymakers to implement meaningful reforms that ensure water infrastructure funds reach the communities that need them most.
Our recommendations to the TWDB include:
- Implementing a comprehensive Disadvantaged Community Score system evaluating income, affordability, vulnerability, and environmental factors
- Creating a sliding scale for principal forgiveness allocations (30-100%) based on community need
- Focusing on project-benefit areas rather than total-service areas for disadvantaged community identification
- Extending public comment periods to 30+ days with educational webinars
- Enhancing transparency through improved tracking of project withdrawals
- Expanding technical assistance programs for workforce development and pre-application support
During our discussion with TWDB staff, we explored practical ways to implement these recommendations and acknowledged progress made through recent program enhancements.
Federal advocacy: taking Texas water priorities to Washington
BCWK was recently in Washington D.C. to meet with Texas congressional delegation members during Water Week.
Working alongside our Water Equity & Climate Resilience Caucus (WECR) and Southern SRF Advocacy Project partners, we highlighted the critical water infrastructure needs facing Texas communities. We shared that Texas alone needs approximately $80 billion over the next 20 years for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements—roughly $4 billion annually. With current funding levels falling dramatically short, we advocated for continued federal investment through the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and expanded technical assistance programs.
Our meetings with Representatives Henry Cuellar, Al Green, Lizzie Fletcher, Sylvia Garcia, and Senators Cornyn and Cruz focused on several shared key priorities:
- Maintaining robust funding for the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRFs
- Supporting expanded technical assistance programs to help communities navigate complex funding processes
- Advocating for permanent authorization of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding
- Improving disaster recovery programs to better serve vulnerable communities
These federal advocacy efforts aim to ensure Texas can access the resources needed to address our water infrastructure challenges and maximize impact for communities across our watershed.
Read the complete list of BCWK federal priorities here.
State legislative engagement: Building support for water infrastructure priorities
Beyond our work with the TWDB, our team has been actively engaged with key water legislation during the 89th Legislative Session. We’ve focused particularly on the “big water bills” that would reform water infrastructure funding and management in Texas. We’ve emphasized that fixing existing infrastructure should be prioritized over building new projects.
SB 7: We’ve provided testimony advocating for an amendment to expand the definition of “new water sources” under the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. We’re pushing for the inclusion of water reuse strategies and water loss mitigation efforts, recognizing these approaches as cost-effective, environmentally sustainable solutions.
HB 16: We’ve expressed support for this bill’s approach to water infrastructure financing, particularly its inclusion of potable water reuse projects as eligible for funding. We’ve also advocated for additional consideration of water loss mitigation projects and recommended establishing minimum funding thresholds for each program under the Texas Water Fund.
As the water bills move through the Session, we’re advocating for a fundamental shift in priorities: fix what we have before building something new. Houston alone loses over 30 billion gallons annually through leaky pipes—water that could serve communities facing supply issues. With TWDB’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs already oversubscribed and Houston potentially needing up to $15 billion for critical repairs, we’re pushing for smarter investments that prevent utilities from raising rates on residents who can’t afford it or delaying maintenance until pipes burst under our streets.
Read more about BCWK’s legislative activity here.
Looking ahead: State Revolving Funds public comment opportunity in the summer
Our advocacy for water infrastructure investments won’t end with the 89th Legislative Session. Bayou City Waterkeeper, with Southern SRF Cohort partners, is preparing to engage with the upcoming Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) Intended Use Plans (IUPs) public comment period, expected this summer.
This will be an important opportunity to advocate for the reforms we’ve been championing at the state level and ensure they translate into real benefits for Houston-area communities. This will require collective action from our communities. Here’s how you can support our efforts:
- Follow our website for updates on the SRF public comment period this summer and sign-on opportunities
- Contact your local officials to express support for equitable water infrastructure funding
For questions about our legislative work, please contact Guadalupe Fernandez at guadalupe@bayoucitywaterkeeper.org or Usman Mahmood at usman@bayoucitywaterkeeper.org.