{"id":821,"date":"2025-06-23T11:00:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T11:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/waterfront\/?p=821"},"modified":"2025-06-23T20:53:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T20:53:18","slug":"western-states-protect-water-supplies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/waterfront\/2025\/06\/23\/western-states-protect-water-supplies\/","title":{"rendered":"Western states are stepping up to protect precious water supplies. Here\u2019s how."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Texas
EDF\u2019s Vanessa Puig-Williams (far right) joins Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (center) and other water stakeholders at a signing ceremony for a $20 billion, 20-year package to fund water projects.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As federal environmental programs and funding come under attack, states across the West are adopting major policies and dedicating more money to support long-term water resilience, underscoring how water bridges political divides. Here\u2019s a roundup of the actions that were strongly supported by the EDF Water Team.<\/p>\n

Texas goes big on water with $20 billion package<\/h3>\n

Alongside a large coalition of stakeholders, EDF supported and helped to shape a $20 billion, 20-year ($1 billion per year) funding package that will support water supply development and infrastructure repairs, including aquifer storage and recovery projects, agricultural water efficiency projects, and wastewater reuse. The package, signed by the governor in a ceremony<\/a>Wednesday, is the first-ever investment in water of this magnitude in Texas. It will go to voters for final approval as a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EDF also spearheaded the successful allocation of $7.5 million for local groundwater data and science \u2014 an essential foundation to managing Texas\u2019 aquifers. It was the first time funding of this nature for groundwater modeling, data collection, and scientific study has been appropriated in Texas and the first time such a broad coalition of organizations from agricultural, environmental, and municipal water supply interests have united around groundwater.<\/p>\n

\"Flock
Texas water fact:<\/strong> More than 93% of land in Texas, the second largest state, is privately owned<\/a>, which means groundwater is closely tied to property rights and private land stewardship is crucial to sustainable groundwater management.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New Mexico dedicates funding for aquifer mapping and monitoring<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The 2025 legislative session in New Mexico provided substantial and necessary advancements and funding to protect the state\u2019s water. One bill that passed with EDF\u2019s support (SB 21) will set up a state permitting system to cover the nearly 95% of New Mexico\u2019s seasonal waterways that lost federal protections as a result of a 2023 Supreme Court decision (Sackett v EPA<\/em><\/a>).<\/p>\n

In addition, New Mexico lawmakers approved the following funding:<\/p>\n