In 1991, The Texas Legislature passed the Texas Clean Rivers Act [Senate Bill 818].
The Act was intended to move Texas toward comprehensive water resources planning and
management to ensure the integrity of the state's water supply over the long term.
State leaders know that the water needs of some 17 million people across Texas are
currently met while still leaving some 25% of the state's water capacity in reserve.
However, some forecasts show the state's population doubling over the next fifty years
while Texas water supplies will remain relatively fixed. Additionally, various water
pollution concerns remain to be addressed across the state even after several decades
of remarkable and substantial progress in restoring the quality of Texas waters.
The Clean Rivers Act requires an ongoing assessment
of water quality issues and management strategies statewide
to guide Texas water resources policy and decision-making
into the 21st Century. The Act established the
Texas
Clean Rivers Program
under the Texas Water Commission
(now the
Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality
, or TCEQ, after TWC's
merger with the Texas Air Control Board in 1992). The program
is funded by fees assessed on wastewater discharge permittees
and water rights holders as well as through TCEQ's own state
appropriations.
For a description of the Steering Committee process, stockholder roles and how to get involved in the process click here.