Former KDOT Secretary outlines implementation framework for Kansas Water Plan, urges 10-year program and regional projects

Julie Lorenz, former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, presented an implementation framework for the Kansas Water Plan to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, urging a two‑year ramp up followed by a 10‑year program to help communities secure long‑term water supplies.

Lorenz said the state’s two largest economic drivers, agriculture and manufacturing, both depend heavily on water and that communities and businesses increasingly look for multi‑decade reliable supply when deciding where to locate. “Water has a huge impact on our state's economy,” she told the committee.

Lorenz described a three‑part, outcomes‑focused approach that mirrors transportation planning: (1) a multigenerational promise aiming for every Kansan to have access to 50 years of water or a plan to reach that supply; (2) regional planning and project development so communities can share resources and avoid premature local shortages; and (3) a pipeline of investable projects with measurable outcomes and a dashboard to report progress.

Why it matters: Lorenz emphasized that parts of western Kansas…