Texas lawmakers approved a dynamic state water plan more than 14 years ago. But as with many state issues, funding is an unsolved problem.

The Express-News reported last month that within decades — unless new water resources are funded — 83 percent of the state's population will not have adequate water supplies during times of drought.

Some cities and regions, such as San Antonio and the Edwards Aquifer region, have been striving to address the issue on their own. However, state involvement is necessary because the Texas population is expected to double by 2050 and cooperation is crucial.

The Express-News reported that an estimated $53 billion in state investment is needed by 2060, according to the water plan passed in 1997. Additionally, the newspaper noted that the plan “identifies $142 billion in capital costs for water treatment and distribution projects and flood control.”

This summer's drought is demonstrating the severity of the need in many areas of the state. Voters will have the opportunity to make a small dent in the problem by approving $6 billion in Water Development Board bonds in November.

According to the House Research Organization, Texas voters have approved $4.3 billion in bonds for water and wastewater projects since 1957. The most recent bonds — totaling $2 billion — were approved in 2001.

This pace of investment is far from adequate.

Earlier this year, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Alan Ritter, R-Nederland, proposed a fee on water connections to fund state water projects, but his bill failed.

State government is under extreme financial stress due to the sluggish economy, but lawmakers must confront water supply funding needs at some point in the near future. And lawmakers should allow regions, such as the one that depends on the Edwards Aquifer, to develop their own revenue sources.

From transportation to water to education, funding demands continue to grow. But Texans eventually will have to pay the cost for a modern state that meets the needs of a growing population.