Amy Hardberger researches water law, both nationally and internationally.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pitch
The Texas House unanimously passed Senate Bill 7 on April 2, 2025. The bill is a continuation of an initiative started in the last legislative session.
In November 2023, Texas voters approved the creation of the Texas Water Fund and unlocked $1 billion to help finance water infrastructure. The fund provides money to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), the state agency responsible for water planning that allocates financial assistance through several water programs. The water fund allows for flexibility to transfer additional money into program funds that offer financial assistance for water infrastructure projects consistent with legislative directives.
While $1 billion may sound like a lot of money, Texas Tech University School of Law’s Professor Amy Hardberger says it’s only a start – and far short of what’s needed to maintain Texas’ aging water infrastructure and meet the demands of a rapidly growing population. She says SB 7 is an important step because it moves Texas toward a long-term, sustainable funding solution. Professor Hardberger’s research focuses on water law and its impact on other sectors including pricing, energy and land use planning.
Expert
Amy Hardberger, George W. McCleskey Professor of Water Law; Director of the Center for Water Law and Policy, (806) 834-4842 or amy.hardberger@ttu.edu
- B.A., Earlham College in Geology
- M.S., University of Texas at San Antonio in Geology
- J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law
Talking points
- Additional water funding would be available to towns and cities to fix leaking pipes, update aging infrastructure systems and develop new water supply for projected growth.
- The program ensures that communities of all sizes can access funds, which is important because rural towns often have a small revenue base with which to fund large projects.
- Texas Tech houses the Texas Produced Water Consortium whose research will be instrumental in determining how treated produced water can be safely reused and identifying which sectors are most appropriate to receive it.
Quotes
- “The proposed funding mechanism provides flexibility to provide assistance where it is most needed. Not all areas of Texas share the same challenges, and the ability to tailor water projects to local needs is very important.”
- “Water infrastructure can be very expensive, and those costs are often passed along to the customer. Fixing existing systems to save water lost through leaking pipes is often the least cost alternative and encourages the best use of water the first time.”