On September 15th, representatives from local communities, state agencies, regional utilities, and non-governmental organizations convened at the Dimmit County Rodeo Arena and Convention Center in Carrizo Springs, Texas to discuss water legislation, water supply, regional collaborative opportunities, and funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. The workshop highlighted legislative initiatives and the potential benefits of regionalization, or regional strategies for resource-sharing and building economies of scale.
Representative Donald McLaughlin (R-Uvalde) provided welcome remarks that highlighted both the present opportunities for water and wastewater financing and the need for utilities to deploy regional strategies. He highlighted regional strengths, S.B. 1169, and offered a glimpse into the 90th legislative session.
Lia Clark, Community Support Director at Water Finance Exchange, then described a few of the forms that regional strategies can take, as well as considerations for utilities to maximize their benefits; this was followed by a panel that consisted of representatives from regional entities to discuss the realities of regional coalitions. Topics included how and why these regional entities were formed, their legal and financial considerations, and what funding they have received.
Finally, breakout groups engaged in an exercise that prompted them to brainstorm regional strategies localized to their communities.