Special report
Running Out: Texas’ water crisis — and the path forward
A growing population, leaking pipes and changing climate threaten the state’s water supply. Texas lawmakers hope a $20 billion investment will help.
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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.
The Tribune hosted an event on Oct. 9 in Longview to discuss the state’s water crisis. You can watch the discussion here.
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Running Out: Texas’ Water Crisis »
Texas’ water crisis explained
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
Understanding water lingo
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.
How the state is trying to 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.
More questions about water in Texas?
The AI tool in this story is designed to answer any questions you have about Texas’ water crisis. Responses are based solely on published reporting by Tribune journalists. This tool is powered by experimental Generative AI; it cannot answer every question perfectly. If the bot can’t answer your question, it will notify our reporters. They might write a story based on what you ask. New stories about water are added to the bot every time we write one.
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Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.
