TEXAS — In a draft of its 2027 state water plan, The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) said the state needs approximately $174 billion to fund water management strategy projects to avoid a water crisis in the future.

This comes as several cities grapple with water crises of their own, and residents across the state express concerns about the data center boom in Texas sucking up already slim resources. In Corpus Christi, residents could face forced cutbacks on water use as local leaders are scrambling to try to avoid an emergency during an ongoing drought.

TWDB’s water plan states that from 2030-2080, Texas’ population is expected to increase by 53%, with water demands expected to increase 6%. The state’s annual water availability is expected to decline by 9% and existing water supply is projected to decline by 10% in that time.

Texas will need at least $174 billion to design, construct and implement over 3,000 water management strategy projects from TWDB, the board says, not accounting for inflation.

According to the board, if the strategies aren’t implemented over the next 50 years, about one quarter of Texas’ population in 2080 would have less than half the water they need during a record drought.

“If Texas does not implement the water supply strategies and projects in the state water plan, a severe drought could cause $91 billion in economic damages in 2030, and those damages are projected to increase to $177 billion per year by 2080,” the plan says.

The plan outlines 10 legislative recommendations, including:

Designating four water reservoir sites
Remove Interregional Planning Council requirements
Improve resources and clarity to assist groundwater conservation districts in establishing desired future conditions policies
Require consideration of drought conditions in development of desired future conditions 
Establish a single, statewide groundwater well-identification system 
Socioeconomic analysis tool to support joint groundwater planning 
Redefine the role of TWDB in interregional conflict identification and resolution 
Conduct alternative versions of socioeconomic analyses of water shortage impacts 
Remove requirement of infeasible strategy assessment amendments

Read the full draft of the plan below: