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From the Rio Grande to Lake Travis, from the Ogallala Aquifer to the Red River, Texas’ water supply is under duress. The state’s rapidly expanding population, deteriorating infrastructure, and warming climate threaten its water supply — and by extension, its economy and way of life. The state’s regional diversity and patchwork of governments complicate matters further.
To understand the threat each region faces, Texas Tribune journalists traveled across the state and closely followed the legislative debate in Austin. This special report presents their ongoing work.
Texas voters will be asked this fall to approve a $20 billion package to protect the state’s water supply. The proposal — which was approved by lawmakers earlier this year — calls for 50% to be spent on improving the state’s water infrastructure. The other half will be spent on finding new water supply, like cleaning salty groundwater. Voters previously approved a similar, but much smaller package, in 2023. While it might sound like a lot of money — and it is — the $20 billion is just a fraction of what some experts believe the state needs to invest going forward.
Below, you’ll find guides explaining the problem and possible solutions, an AI-powered chatbot answering questions about the state’s water supply and a tool for local water supply data, and our best reporting from across the state. The Tribune will have full coverage of the election this fall.
Join us Oct. 8 in Longview or online to discuss the state’s water crisis and the November election.
Register for the free event here.
Texas’ water crisis explained
Water gushes from Rick Bradbury’s truck to Shannon Montague’s reservoir as the Bradbury’s make a delivery Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Terlingua.
The state’s water supply faces numerous threats. And by one estimate, the state’s municipal supply will not meet demand by 2030 if there’s a severe drought and no water solutions are implemented Read more
Understanding water lingo
The secondary clarifier at the Bustamante Waste Water Treatment Plant expansion in El Paso on March 5, 2025.
Water is complex. So are the terms used to describe it. Get to know the language as Texas debates how to save its water supply. Read more
How the state is trying to save its water supply
Treated water at the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 in Austin, TX. The treatment plant will undergo a billion dollar expansion starting this summer to meet the increasing demand due to the growth the city has faced. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune
State lawmakers are poised to devote billions to save the state’s water supply. These are some of the ways the state could spend the money. Read more
Get the data and visuals that accompany this story →
Get the data and visuals that accompany this story →
[The one thing Texas won’t do to save its water supply]
[Toilet to tap: El Paso is about to embark on a whole new way to save its limited water supply]
[East Texans united to stop a water sale to Dallas suburbs — for now]
[As the Rio Grande runs dry, South Texas leaders look to new water supplies to sustain growth]
[Can Texas clean up fracking water enough to use for farming? One company thinks so.]
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