[Editor's Note: As our readers are no doubt aware, water conservation is a large part of meeting Texas’ future water needs for both people and the environment. In order to help accomplish that goal, the Sierra Club advocated that the 2013 legislation passed to fund water projects in Texas include a healthy dose of funds for water conservation projects. The bill ended up stipulating that 20% of the funding should go towards water conservation projects. That is a good deal for ratepayers and the environment because conservation means that expensive and potentially environmentally destructive water supply projects can be postponed, reduced in scope or even cancelled. If our communities use water that we already have more efficiently, we can serve more people and businesses and help keep costs for ratepayers in line. Conservation isn’t free though, and that is why we support the lending programs that the TWDB offers to help Texas utilities make the most of their water supplies. We appreciate the information provided about Texas’ new water funding program by Chairman Bruun and encourage Texas Sierrans to talk to their utilities about going big with water conservation by accessing SWIFT funding where appropriate.]
In 2015, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved over $173 million in financial assistance for conservation projects from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) program.* In the first year, we anticipate the sponsoring entities of those projects will save more than $5.7 million by utilizing the SWIFT program’s cost-effective financing.
On December 1, 2015, the application period for the second round of the SWIFT program funding will open. Entities will have until February 5, 2016, to submit a preliminary, two-page application.
Projects listed in the approved 2016 Regional Water Plans and the subsequent 2017 State Water Plan will be eligible for SWIFT program financial assistance. The TWDB anticipates that the 2017 State Water Plan may attribute higher capital costs associated with conservation strategies than previous plans, which means even more conservation projects could be eligible for SWIFT financial assistance.
The conservation projects receiving financial assistance from the first round of the SWIFT program include the implementation of advanced metering equipment, automated leak detection systems, and irrigation canal lining in the Rio Grande Valley. Two of the projects are estimated to have a combined savings of approximately 12,000 acre-feet of water per year, the equivalent of the amount of water it would take to fill 12,000 football fields 1 foot deep.
We want conservation projects to play an even bigger part in the 2016 SWIFT funding cycle.
Our state water plan tells us that by 2060 water demand will increase by 22 percent while existing water supply will decrease by about 10 percent. The past few years have also reminded us that drought—serious drought—is always just around the corner.
That is why it is more important than ever to turn our planning efforts into projects and strategies. To meet our state’s future water demand, we need a diverse portfolio of water strategies, and maximizing our existing water supply through conservation is one of the most important.
Texans know how critical water is to our future. In 2013, the Texas Legislature and the people of Texas overwhelmingly approved the creation of the SWIFT program. They understood then—and still understand—that it is vital to take steps now to implement strategies that will make the best use of our water supplies. Utilizing the funding available from the TWDB through the SWIFT program and our other financial assistance programs can help communities prepare for the future.
Conservation projects are a crucial part of the Texas State Water Plan and a high priority for the TWDB. While communities continue to develop new water sources, they must also evaluate and execute on projects aimed at protecting and reusing the water that is already available.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the state’s water needs. Fortunately, the regional water plans and state water plan—on which SWIFT funding is based—rely on communities’ determining their own futures.
As Chairman of the TWDB, I have traveled to communities across the state and met with individuals who are dedicated to protecting our state’s natural resources while also implementing water management strategies in the state water plan. My fellow TWDB Board member Kathleen Jackson has also traveled the state, meeting with countless community leaders and citizens who are concerned about the future of Texas’ water resources.
Conservation has always been a high priority of the TWDB and with the 2017 State Water Plan expected to have more conservation strategies than ever before, now is the time to get involved!
We encourage you to spread the word of the SWIFT financial assistance program and continue to be engaged in the water planning process. We are here to assist but need your help. Ask questions, tell a friend, get involved. Step up to the plate and secure funding for your local water needs.
There will always be an abundance of ideas on how to solve our state’s water needs, but without the involvement of interested individuals, like the members of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, those ideas will remain just that, ideas. We need to work together to ensure that our ideas become plans and that those plans become realities. Through your hard work and involvement in the process, we can do just that.
To apply for funding from the SWIFT program or the TWDB’s other financial assistance programs, please visit the TWDB’s financial assistance page at www.twdb.texas.gov/financial/index.asp or contact the TWDB at (512) 463-0991 or Financial_Assistance@twdb.texas.gov.
*The SWIFT program includes two funds, the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas (SWIRFT) and the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). Revenue bonds for the program are issued through the SWIRFT.
Bech Bruun was appointed chairman of the Texas Water Development Board by Governor Greg Abbott on June 10, 2015. He has served as a Board Member of the Texas Water Development Board since September 1, 2013. A native of Corpus Christi, Bruun resides in Austin with his wife Glenna and their children Cilla Kay and Radford.
The Texas Water Development Board's mission is to provide leadership, information, education, and support for planning, financial assistance, and outreach for the conservation and responsible development of water for Texas.
Photo Courtesy of Lower Colorado River Authority