Abbott signs $20 billion water package; HJR 7 sent to voters as constitutional amendment

Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 7 and House Joint Resolution 7 at a bill-signing event at the Synflo pump-testing facility in Lubbock, announcing a $20,000,000,000 funding package for water projects across Texas.

The package is tied to HJR 7, which Abbott described as a proposed constitutional amendment that must be approved by voters. "When the constitutional amendment passes, this joint resolution is going to provide $20,000,000,000 to fund water projects for the future of our great state," Abbott said. Abbott and legislative leaders said SB 7 sets the program rules for how the money will be allocated and managed.

Why it matters: State leaders framed the measures as a response to growing population-driven demand and aging infrastructure. Abbott said Texas loses "about 88,000,000,000 gallons of water a year because of broken, busted, and aged pipes," and that the combined package is intended both to find new water supplies and to repair distribution systems.

What the bills would do: Abbott and authors said SB 7 divides the $20 billion roughly in half — one portion toward increasing water supply through new sources and the other toward infrastructure, including replacing or repairing old pipes. Abbott described the program as providing about $1 billion per year for 20 years and as an "evergreen" model in which loans are repaid and then reinvested into new projects.

Senator Charles Perry, who helped craft the legislation, called the combination of HJR 7 and SB 7 a "game changer," and said the package includes additional base funding that he summarized as equating to roughly $23.5 billion when combined with earlier allocations. Speaker Dustin Burrows and Representative Cody Harris also praised the measures at the Lubbock event and thanked local hosts and workers.

Implementation and oversight: Officials said the Texas Water Development Board will play a coordinating role. Senator Perry described a cultural shift from city-by-city, short-term solutions toward more regional planning and oversight so that multiple jurisdictions can combine resources for larger projects.

Voices from the event: At the ceremony, a Synflo representative noted the new facility’s local engineering and construction ties and thanked lawmakers for enabling businesses to invest in the state. "On behalf of the Synflo team, I want to extend my deepest thanks to Governor Abbott, Chairman Perry, Speaker Burrows, and Chairman Harris for their work on this bill," the company representative said.

Next steps: Because HJR 7 is a proposed constitutional amendment, the measure must be approved by Texas voters before the $20 billion becomes available as described. SB 7’s program details will determine how projects apply for and receive funds, including any loan or repayment terms.

The signing followed a brief media Q&A in which Abbott reiterated the program’s statewide intent and described the funding as intended to remain in use over decades through loan repayment and reinvestment. The event concluded with final thanks from officials and local hosts.