EDITORIAL: A Historic Triumph: Who Hopes to Gain – and What Happens Next
By The Dallas Morning News
Jun. 1–Texas has faced four seminal moments in its struggle to find enough water. Legislatures in 1957 and 1968 first realized we must cope better with droughts and a postwar boom. Legislators in 1997 required various regions to create water plans. Finally, just days ago, the House and Senate passed several bills to execute and invest in those plans. There’s plenty to cheer about in this achievement — and just as much immediate work.
The Players: Lt. Gov David Dewhurst and Sen. Kip Averitt made water planning a priority and stood strong when it looked like SB 3 would sink. Without them, the state wouldn’t have a plan that gauges the flow of rivers, promotes conservation and identifies new lakes.
Sen. Florence Shapiro backed them when it appeared the House would gut the reservoirs. So did Gov. Rick Perry, whose William Travis-like stand for the lakes rallied the Senate.
When the House almost killed SB 3 on the last day, such North Texas representatives as Charlie Geren, Fred Hill, Rafael Anchia, Dan Branch, Will Hartnett and Jodie Laubenberg kept it alive. Speaker Tom Craddick had helped by appointing a conference committee that understood the needs of cities and suburbs. Earlier, House water guru Robert Puente had done his part by emphasizing conservation and the health of our rivers in HB 3 and HB 4.
The Winners: Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and their suburbs undoubtedly benefit from the reservoirs and the study of our rivers. San Antonio also won new pumping rights in the Edwards Aquifer.
The unpleasant truth is that our metropolises need more water. An uproar ensued about how much the reservoirs benefit urban Texas, but Austin’s actions also will help rural Texans sustain their communities.
What’s Next: The reservoirs will take time to plan, but conservation must start immediately. North Texas fortunately gained two reservoirs, but the region must persuade doubters that we will indeed get 25 percent of our future supplies through conservation and water reuse. Businesses need efficient practices, cities need to ramp up water rates, and families need to manage their water use.
The Legislature has done its part, including investing $770 million in water projects. Now we must do ours.
—–
To see more of The Dallas Morning News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dallasnews.com.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.