Shallowater mayor pushing for Proposition 6 to pay for water projects in Texas

SHALLOWATER, Texas (KCBD) - On the ballot right now, you have the option to vote for or against a Texas Water Fund. It would help pay for water projects in the state, including rural communities that can’t do it alone.

Texas Senator Charles Perry, who authored the legislation, said Proposition 6 has two parts. The first one is a billion-dollar ask that would give money to rural communities that need help fixing their water infrastructure.

“750 million of that would go to existing municipals - 150,000 and under would get priority because those tax bases are not big enough to deal with those leaky pipes,” Senator Perry said.

The Mayor of Shallowater, Royking Potter, said those leaky pipes Senator Perry mentioned are common for all these small-town communities.

“Each and every one of us, that very case happening,” Potter said. “It’s every day of our life that we have some kind of issues like that for sure.”

Mayor Potter said Proposition 6 would help patch those up.

“It’d be big for every rural community as far as I’m concerned,” Potter said.

Potter echoed what Senator Perry said, that these communities don’t have the money to fix those pipes. Potter said part of that is because Shallowater citizens drive to Lubbock to shop, so that money is not going to their budget.

“We’re close enough to Lubbock that we don’t have as much retail, so there’s that side of the tax bracket that we don’t reach as much,” Potter said.

The second part of Proposition 6 would help find new ways to get water.

“It’s 100% geared toward new supply acquisition or developments,” Senator Perry said.

Senator Perry says we currently rely heavily on the rain to fall and soak into the groundwater system. This amendment would use these funds to find water off the coast, from underground and from other parts of the country.

“Then, we’ve literally met a large part of the need that’s not going to be met in the next 50 years to meet the growths and the needs today,” Senator Perry said.

Potter and Senator Perry are pushing everyone to vote for Proposition 6, which they believe will protect the Lone Star States’ water supply for years to come.

“Water’s going to be worth more than gold someday, so if we can’t utilize and take care of that source right now and have the money to do it correctly, it’s going to be huge for us down the road,” Potter said.

Early voting ends Nov. 3 and election day is Nov. 7.

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