The Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott have approved $1.038 billion in one-time Water Supply and Infrastructure Grants to be administered by the Texas Water Development Board. The announcement creates a rare funding opportunity for water infrastructure projects with no local match required and an emphasis on projects that can move quickly to construction. Wastewater and flood control projects are not eligible.
Board officials said applications are due July 30. The agency will host webinars on April 23 and May 13 to assist applicants, both available through its website.
Program criteria prioritize smaller, disadvantaged communities that may struggle to secure other funding, along with larger entities that are ready to begin construction quickly. For smaller systems, eligible phases include planning, acquisition, design and construction. Larger entities must have already completed those phases and be ready to proceed to construction.
Projects that have received funding from other sources are generally not eligible for the same scope, with exceptions for unclosed State Water Implementation Fund for Texas commitments or documented cost overruns.
Officials said the scoring system will consider median household income, population served and project readiness, with additional consideration for communities that have not recently received funding through the board.
The funding is separate from the voter-approved constitutional amendment passed in November 2025 that will direct roughly $20 billion over 20 years into a new Texas Water Fund. That program is expected to provide ongoing support through a revolving funding structure aimed at modernizing aging systems and expanding water supply capacity to meet the needs of a growing state.
Photo by Orhan Akbaba from Pexels
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