Experts say that money is only a drop in the bucket of what’s needed. A recent analysis from Texas 2036, a nonpartisan think tank, estimated that Texas will need to spend $154 billion on water infrastructure over the next 50 years, including $59 billion to access new water supplies and another $95 billion to fix deteriorating drinking water systems and broken wastewater infrastructure.

Perry said his yet-to-be-filed plan wouldn’t address groundwater regulation, which some experts say has contributed to water scarcity by allowing overpumping. Outside of the state’s 98 groundwater management districts, property owners are free to pump as much groundwater water as they like. And many groundwater districts lack the resources to enforce pumping restrictions — or deny permits and risk litigation.