KEMPNER, Texas (KXXV) — Water scarcity has been a growing concern for communities across Central Texas, and local and state leaders are now looking to tackle the issue by forming the Central Texas Water Alliance.
Bruce Sorenson, general manager of Kempner Water Supply Corporation, is among those advocating for the formation of the alliance. He recently discussed the challenges the region faces with increasing population growth and limited water resources.
“We need more water in Central Texas. The population is growing faster than the water supply,” Sorenson said.
The alliance, proposed in Senate Bill 1194, aims to secure water rights and improve infrastructure across the region to meet the challenges of rapid growth and rising water demand.
“It’s to secure water for the future, and provide some way of getting that done,” Sorenson said, as he explained the purpose of the alliance.
Sorenson, who helped craft the bill, stressed the importance of having a reliable water source during times of drought or when water supply is insufficient.
“If Kempner were to grow aggressively, we would probably be out of water in 10 to 12 years, as far as what we can supply,” Sorenson said.
The proposed bill would bring together multiple entities, combining resources to address the water shortage more efficiently than individual groups tackling the issue alone.
“Where are we going to get water when we run out of our reserve in this lake, Stillhouse? So that’s what we are doing – we’re looking to the future,” Sorenson added.
A vote on Senate Bill 1194 was tabled in committee Monday morning. If it secures enough votes and passes the Senate, it will move to the House, where it will transition into House Bill 2626.
