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Proposition 4 Passes! What's Next?

Texas voters have cast their vote in securing the state's water future by approving Proposition 4, the constitutional amendment to dedicate $1 billion in sales tax a year for the next two decades to help secure the state's water supply. So, what's next? At Bayou City Waterkeeper, we are committed to staying engaged to ensure these historic investments are used responsibly and address systemic inequities in water infrastructure for Houston. Our work of securing a sustainable and equitable water future continues by:

• Advocating for Equitable Funding Allocation: We will continue to push the TWDB to prioritize grants and loans to Disadvantaged Communities and for projects in historically disinvested neighborhoods (like our Water Justice Zones) based on need, affordability, and vulnerability.
• Prioritizing Sustainable Solutions: We will continue to advocate at the local, state, and federal levels for funds to prioritize cost-effective and environmentally sustainable strategies, such as water conservation, water loss mitigation, and water reuse, before focusing on expensive and sometimes controversial new water supply projects.
• Ensuring Transparency and Public Engagement: We will continue to mobilize communities to participate in the public process related to the State Water Plan and State Flood Plan, ensuring community voices are heard in the TWDB’s decision-making on project selection and funding distribution.
• Addressing Local Inequities: Locally, we will maintain our focus on closing gaps in infrastructure funding, such as advocating to ensure funds and projects in our watershed’s historically disinvested communities. 

Stay engaged! As state agencies like the Texas Water Development Board begin the process of implementation and rule-making, there will be future opportunities to weigh in and support our continued advocacy. We'll share action alerts when those opportunities arise via email on socia media. Be sure to follow us: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. 

For our waters and communities!

P.S. Visit our Prop 4 webpage to learn more AND read our latest blog post on "What Houston’s next leaders must know and champion to address our water crisis."

Bayou City Waterkeeper protects the waters and people of the Houston region through bold legal action, community science, and creative, grassroots policy to further justice, health, and safety for our region. Bayou City Waterkeeper envisions a Houston where water is a catalyst for change. By connecting community, place, policies, and systems we collaboratively advance equitable distributions of power and resources towards life, joy, and regeneration for our watershed. 

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