Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed Senate Bill 7 and House Joint Resolution 7 into law, launching what he called the “largest investment in water in Texas history” during a ceremony at SIMFLO, a water infrastructure company.
“Water is a critical need for all Texas,” said Gov. Abbott. “In my State of the State Address, I called on the Texas legislature to make the largest investment in water in Texas history. This law…provides a $20 billion generational investment for both new water supply and for the repairing of existing infrastructure.”
The legislation assigns oversight to the Texas Water Development Board and establishes the Texas Water Fund, which will coordinate statewide water projects. The fund will be bolstered by an annual $1 billion allocation from state sales and use taxes, pending voter approval of the constitutional amendment proposed in House Joint Resolution 7.
Flanked by lawmakers and local leaders, Abbott emphasized the importance of securing Texas' water future to support a fast-growing population and sustain economic development.
“With this law, we will secure Texas’ water future for generations to come,” Gov. Abbott said.
Speaker Dustin Burrows (R), Chairman Charles Perry (R), and Chairman Cody Harris (R) joined the governor for the signing, praising the bipartisan effort behind the legislation.
“This legislation will not only help secure Texans’ access to water, it will support continued economic growth and job creation across our state,” said Speaker Burrows.
Chairman Perry called SB 7 a “generational investment,” adding, “This legislation ensures our children and grandchildren have access to the water supply needed to keep our communities strong and our economy thriving.”
Chairman Harris echoed the urgency with his statement, “Texas is growing fast, and our water supply isn’t keeping up. Senate Bill 7 and HJR 7 are Texas-sized investments that put us on a path to strengthen the state’s water system and, attract new investments to water infrastructure.”
More than 150 water industry workers and supporters were present at the event, where Abbott emphasized that the laws will help repair aging infrastructure and explore new water sources. He framed the investment as critical to ensuring Texas remains the best place to “live, work, and raise a family.”
The constitutional amendment in HJR 7 will appear on the November 2025 ballot for voter approval.
