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Broken Pipes

Dust blows across a construction site for a future neighborhood near Wolfforth on Wednesday, April. 26, 2023.

Texas' water infrastructure is in dire condition. The state is losing billions of gallons of water a year to broken pipes and leaks. And so far in 2023, the state has had about eight boil-water notices a day. The problem is more acute in the Lone Star State's smaller and rural towns, which lack the sort of tax base needed to keep up with costly repairs. The Texas Legislature, during its 88th regular session, has a unique chance to inject billions of dollars into the state's patchwork of local water systems. But water advocates worry it won't be enough — just a drop in the bucket.