Texas has reached a crossroads in the management of water resources. While the state’s population continues to grow and the municipal water demand is increasing, Texas’ surface and groundwater supplies are limited or allocated to other uses. The era of cheap and abundant water is over and new ways to provide this critical resource to Texans must be found.
Water Rights in Texas
The Issue Texas has two distinct legal systems governing water: groundwater and surface water. Surface water is owned by the state, which grants water rights to use specific volumes of water for beneficial uses. The Texas Water Code recognizes surface water rights issued in perpetuity as private rights that can be bought and sold and...