Texas Water Development Board approves $38,000,000 to the City of Houston (Harris County) for the Second Source Transmission Line project

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

AUSTIN – (July 23, 2020) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of $38,000,000 from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) program* to the City of Houston (Harris County). The City will use the assistance to finance planning, design, and construction costs associated with the Second Source Transmission Line project.

The City could save approximately $5,200,000 over the life of the loan by using the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas program.

Increasing customer demands are driving the need for additional surface water treatment capacity and the ability to transport the treated water to users across Harris County and the northern areas of Fort Bend County. With the financial assistance approved today, the City will continue construction of a 108-inch-diameter shared transmission pipeline approximately 17 miles in length to convey treated surface water from the Northeast Water Purification Plant to supplement current water supplies in the area.

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.

*The SWIFT program includes two funds, the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas (SWIRFT). Revenue bonds for the program are issued through SWIRFT.