The Latest Breaking News from the Texas Water Development Board

Texas governor threatens to penalize datacenters not obeying water laws

Republican Greg Abbott says datacenters must help ‘protect’ drought-prone state and disclose water use

The Guardian - US · Sep 14

Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas water agency to penalize data centers that don’t report their water usage

Last year, less than 30% of data centers responded to a state-mandated water usage survey conducted by the Texas Water Development Board.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 14

Texas’ Refusal to Plan for Climate Change Created a Crisis in Corpus Christi

Stubbornly unrealistic assessments of the region’s reservoir system turned this year’s drought conditions into an emergency.

Texas Observer · Jun 25

Texas sent $223 million to rural communities to fix water infrastructure after 2023 election

Texas voters will decide Tuesday whether the state should continue spending $1 billion a year to secure the state’s water supply. Part of that investment will be spent to find new water supply.

The Texas Tribune · Nov 4, 2025

It’s Brown And Burns Your Eyes. In Small-Town Texas, Clean Water Is Elusive.

Plagued by climate-driven weather extremes, communities that need help improving water quality are being left behind.

Capital & Main · Oct 10, 2025

Why it can be hard to warn people about dangers like floods – communication researchers explain the role of human behavior

Flash floods like the one that swept down the Guadalupe River in Texas on July 4, 2025, can be highly unpredictable. While there are sophisticated flood prediction models and different types of warning systems in some places, effective flood protection requires extensive preparedness and awareness.

The Conversation · Jul 11, 2025

Lawmakers near deal to spend $20 billion over two decades on water crisis

The deal allocates $1 billion a year to water projects for 20 years, which some groups estimate is a fraction of what Texas needs to save its water supply.

The Texas Tribune · May 27, 2025

A Thirsty Tesla Refinery Could Exacerbate Corpus Christi’s Water Crisis

Local activists warn that while residents must ration, unimpeded industrial expansion is imperiling the region’s future.

Texas Observer · May 15, 2025

The Texas House wants voters to approve billions to save the state’s water supply

The Senate has a similar proposal, but is more prescriptive in how the money should be spent. The two chambers must agree on the final proposal to send to voters.

The Texas Tribune · Apr 29, 2025

Store, harvest, fix: How Texas can save its water supply

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.

The Texas Tribune · Mar 31, 2025