The Latest Breaking News from TWDB

Corpus Christi Could Owe Texas $235M for Failed Desalination Plant

City leaders hope to revive the twice-rejected project to avoid returning money loaned by the state.

Texas Observer · Sep 25

Texas Halts Permits For Data Centers As Opposition In The U.S. Mounts. Governor Abbott Says Texans Must Come First.

The Abbott administration has announced a halt to all permits being sought by data centers until an audit is completed to ensure the reliability of the state's energy grid.

International Business Times · Sep 22

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

The Texas AI Boom Is Outpacing Water Regulations

Each data center can “drink” as much as an entire community. Yet, Texas does not require these tech firms to disclose projected or actual water consumption.

Texas Observer · Feb 4

Texas GOP Says Flood Relief Is Priority. Here’s the Climate Policy They Won’t Pass.

Republican lawmakers have for years refused to engage with precautionary climate resilience and disaster-response measures.

Texas Observer · Aug 14, 2025

Texas leaders defend Black official after lawmaker’s public interrogation of DEI policies left her in tears

The topic was a budget request from a state agency. The exchange grew emotional when a lawmaker pressed for answers about a strategic plan that praises diversity.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 28, 2025

Texas’ first-ever statewide flood plan estimates 5 million live in flood-prone areas

The state’s flood plan shows which Texans are most at risk of flooding and suggests billions of dollars more are needed for flood mitigation projects.

The Texas Tribune · May 28, 2024

Staying Afloat

Lessons for the future of Texas water

Texas Observer · Aug 15, 2023

One in five Texans lives in a floodplain, state’s first-ever analysis shows

As it prepares a statewide flood prevention plan, the state found that almost 6 million Texans live in an area susceptible to floodwaters.

The Texas Tribune · Jul 28, 2023

To ease looming West Texas water shortage, oil companies have begun recycling fracking wastewater

Oil and gas companies are increasingly reusing “produced water” as West Texas aquifers are being depleted and the practice of injecting wastewater into disposal wells triggers more earthquakes.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 19, 2022