The Texas Water Development Board to host Water for Texas 2019 conference

For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129

AUSTIN – (January 3, 2019) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will host its Water for Texas conference, "The Story of Texas Water," January 23-25, 2019, in Austin at the AT -and-T Executive Education and Conference Center. Experts from around the state and country will converge to discuss challenges and solutions to water issues in Texas.

The event will showcase three tracks of panel discussions: Drought and Flood-Ensuring a More Resilient Texas; Water Supply-Planning Now for Tomorrow; and Water Communications-Telling Our Story.

Attendees will hear from distinguished keynote speakers, including Representative Dennis Bonnen; Roy Spence, co-founder and chairman of GSD -and-M and co-founder and CEO of the Purpose Institute; George Hawkins, founder and president of Moonshot LLC, executive in residence at XPV Water Partners, and Chair of Isle, Inc.; and William McKenzie, editorial director for the George W. Bush Institute, moderating a panel of journalists discussing how Texas media covers water issues.

Several members of the Texas Legislature will also participate on two panels, one examining water policy in the upcoming legislative session and another discussing major water policy of the last decades. Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune will moderate the discussion on upcoming water policy. Panelists discussing historic water policy will be Senator Kip Averitt, Senator J.E. "Buster" Brown, Representative Robert Puente, and Representative Alan Ritter.

Online registration is available through January 15, at $425 for industry attendees and $325 for government/non-profit attendees.

The detailed conference schedule, session descriptions, and speaker bios may be viewed on the conference website.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, and preparing the state water plan for the development of the state's water resources. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.