Understanding Texas Prop 4: What a $20 Billion Investment Can Mean For Houston

Texas voters will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 4, a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would create a dedicated and long-term funding source for water infrastructure. The State Water Plan and State Flood Plan outline clear strategies to manage these growing challenges, but their success depends on having the support and funding needed to move from planning to implementation. If approved by voters, Prop 4 would dedicate up to $1 billion each year to the Texas Water Fund, a special state fund established to finance water projects in Texas. Houston and the Lower Galveston Bay watershed face some of the state’s most acute water challenges, including extreme water loss, chronic sewage overflows in low-income neighborhoods, and severe flooding. Prop 4 has the potential to provide critical funding for our region, but our advocacy is essential to ensure that funding is directed toward equitable solutions. Learn more about Prop 4. 

Texas Supreme Court: Protect our right to community participation

This past week Bayou City Waterkeeper filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court, to support a reinstation of the right to oppose Texas’ environmental permitting decisions. If left in place, that decision will limit the right of environmental advocates to participate in permitting decisions and protect their communities and ecosystems from pollution. The amicus brief, filed alongside our partner Coastal Watch Association, supports a request for appeal filed by San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper, their Waterkeeper Diane Wilson, and Texas Campaign for the Environment. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has routinely and arbitrarily denied hearing requests for air and water permits, as seen in a 2021 petition filed before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by BCWK, Coastal Watch Association, and other groups. Read the brief and learn how this ruling, if left in place, drastically shrinks the role of contested case hearings on environmental permits to the public’s detriment.

State Revolving Fund advocacy & public comments submitted

Last month, we submitted formal comments to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) on their State Fiscal Year 2026 Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plans (IUPs). This is a major, annual component of our multi-year advocacy work to make these critical funding programs more equitable and effective for communities that need them most. Our formal comments on the state fiscal year 2026 IUPs build on years of advocacy and relationship-building to propose specific, actionable reforms. These IUPs represent a critical transition point as federal Infrastructure and Investment and Jobs Act supplemental funding concludes and state funding mechanisms become increasingly important for maintaining infrastructure investment momentum. Read the public comment letter and learn about our key recommendations. Photo: Texas team of Southern SRF Cohort with TWDB staffers.

A win for local equity-focused flood infrastructure investments 

At the September Harris County Commissioners Court session, we saw a major win for flood equity! Commissioners passed six comprehensive motions reforming oversight of the 2018 Flood Bond program, including quarterly project updates, enhanced public dashboard functionality, establishment of a formal working group to review project progress and spending, and stronger fiscal accountability measures for budget changes and fund reallocation. The Court also adopted key recommendations from advocates, including BCWK’s data transparency proposals and suggestions for public input mechanisms and accessibility improvements to the dashboard and mapping systems. BCWK and partners from Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience (CEER), Northeast Action Collective (NAC), and West Street Recovery (WSR) provided public testimony to urge the court to honor the 2022 Prioritization Framework, which will fund flood projects serving our most vulnerable communities first. Photo: BCWK staff with NAC members, CEER staff, and local government leaders at Commissioners Court. 

Forever chemicals found in Hunting Bayou, nationwide study shows

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are toxic “forever chemicals” used in everyday items like nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, and food packaging, and they are showing up in Houston’s waterways. These chemicals don’t break down over time and pose serious health risks to residents, linked to cancer, immune issues, and developmental delays in children and young adults. This summer, Bayou City Waterkeeper joined a national PFAS monitoring study to better understand how prevalent PFAS chemicals are within our watershed. We partnered with Waterkeeper Alliance (WKA) to sample PFAS in Hunting Bayou as part of the second phase of their ongoing nationwide study. Hunting Bayou was chosen not only for its proximity to the Homestead Wastewater Treatment Plant, but also because it runs through one of Houston’s most heavily industrialized frontline communities in Northeast Houston. Photo: Wetland Outreach and Policy Specialist, Alenka Cardenas, retrieving our samples from Hunting Bayou.

Learn more about our current Artist-in-Residence 

Learn more about our current Artist-in-Residence, Asenette Ruiz, in their recent blog post, and contribute your perspective to their project in development, Community Data Mural. This project weaves together community voices, art, and data into a collective mural that reflects shared experiences with water justice in the region. You can contribute through written stories, audio reflections, art or drawings, and data. Bayou City Waterkeeper’s Artist-in-Residence program provides artists with an opportunity to creatively explore solutions around pressing water challenges in greater Houston.

Join our team as our next Operations Manager 

Bayou City Waterkeeper is hiring a self-motivated and organized operations and finance expert who brings clarity and strategic alignment to our team. The Operations Manager will be responsible for managing the operational and financial functions of BCWK, ensuring the organization’s systems run smoothly and effectively to support its mission. This role calls for someone who loves to crunch numbers, feels at home in a spreadsheet, and is prepared to “get all of our ducks in a row.” We’re looking for an expert who can support BCWK’s work through our dedication to transparency, compliance, and operational excellence. The priority deadline to apply is October 31. 

Save the Dawte: 11/4 Workshop  on Wetlands Restoration &  Modeling  Tools

Do you do work around wetlands or curious of mapping tools needed to restore wetlands? Join us on Tuesday, November 4, 1–2 pm for a virtual workshop exploring how restoring wetlands can reduce flooding and strengthen community resilience. The session will share new mapping and modeling results from our partnership with Stanford University professors, showing where wetland restoration can have the greatest impact in the Houston region. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact [email protected].

Save the Date: 11/15 Community Action Day -  Texas Public Interest Environmental Conference

This year's Texas Public Interest Environmental Law Conference will take place on November 14-15 at Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law, with a Community Action Day on Saturday, November 15, 9-3pm, in which sessions are open to the public. All profits from the event directly support a summer environmental law fellowship for a TSU student. Please register here to attend.