Water systems fall apart, and change happens quicker than imagined

A weekly newsletter on money, politics and life in Texas. [San Antonio Express-News - Header Logo]( [View in browser]( For the next 3 months, benefit from the San Antonio Express-News's essential journalism. [Subscribe today for only 99¢.]( [Stuff wears out]( I attended “Texas Water Day” at the capitol this week and learned about the equipment and structures we use to produce drinking water, treat sewage and control floods. It was another depressing day under the pink dome. The [American Society of Civil Engineers has given Texas barely passing grades]( for water-related assets. On an A to F scale, our drinking water systems earned a C-, dams a D, flood control a C-, levees a D, and wastewater treatment a D. Because Texas water systems are so decrepit, they [leak 572,000 acre-feet per year — about 51 gallons of water per connection per day, the non-profit Texas Living Waters Project reports.]( That’s the same amount of water used annually by Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Laredo, and Lubbock combined. Folks along the Gulf Coast will remember how a series of floods culminating in Hurricane Harvey betrayed how poorly our drainage systems work. Residents of rural areas routinely experience boil-water notices when equipment breaks down. Every Texan has a horror story. According to [Texas 2036’s Jeremy Mazur, fixing these systems and preparing for the future will be expensive](: - New water supplies over the next 50 years: $80 billion - Fixing drinking water systems over 20 years: $45 billion - Fixing wastewater treatment: $11.8 billion - Flood control: $38 billion Those numbers make [the state’s $33 billion surplus]( look puny. How did we get here? After World War II, Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson convinced Congress and the states to invest trillions to create the wealthiest, most prosperous nation on earth. We delivered water, roads and electricity to almost every home. Those utilities helped drive economic growth and created the middle class. But all that screeched to a halt in 1976. That’s when politicians started focusing on tax cuts. The expected lifespan of a water system is 30 years. About 60 percent of our water lines are more than 40 years old. Water is not the only place where we’ve under-invested. We’ve skimped on roads and electricity too. Things fall apart if you don’t maintain them, a lesson that future generations will learn all too well. [Chris Tomlinson Headshot] Chris Tomlinson Business Columnist What Else I'm Writing [Story photo for Texas GOP lawmakers propose laws attacking freedom]( Photo: Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images [Texas GOP lawmakers propose laws attacking freedom]( Bills proposed by GOP lawmakers hurt employers, employees, clean energy and LGBTQ people. [Story photo for World will need oil and gas forever]( Photo: Graeme Sloan, Bloomberg [World will need oil and gas forever]( Climate change fight will reduce the need for oil and natural gas but not eliminate it. What I'm Reading Must Read: Crime ring obtains thousands of Texas driver’s licenses ([Houston Chronicle]( and [San Antonio Express-News]() Should Read: With private school voucher plan, Gov. Abbott sets his sights at target Perry and Bush missed ([Houston Chronicle]( and [San Antonio Express-News]() Interesting Read: [Younger voters are poised to upend American politics]( Will Millennials and Gen Z empower Democrats in the coming years? (Brookings) Technical Read: [Automating Automaticity: How the Context of Human Choice Affects the Extent of Algorithmic Bias]( More proof that artificial intelligence trained on human behavior will reflect a community’s worse traits. (University of Chicago) Fun Read: [In San Antonio, a Road Map for the Future of Texas Art]( This art show is tremendous, and I’m not just saying that because I own a Cande Aguilar painting! (Texas Monthly) Question of the Week How much more in taxes are you willing to pay for better water systems? Reply directly to this email and tell me your thoughts. Mailbag Last Week’s Question: What role should business leaders play in politics? “I believe that business leaders should bear some responsibility for social and moral causes. They should support equal pay and anti-discrimination policies. To many, their politics are just a way of getting advantages for their business. Too often, we associate wealth with intelligence.” –Patrick Hammes, Brownsville “I believe the last seven years have shown us we need to be wary of business people who claim success but can’t get past their egos. Business people are in it to make money; if philanthropy and politics can help them achieve this goal, they are in.” –Anita Simpson, Pearland. “I don't have a problem with business people being upfront about their political inclinations and interests. I prefer the transparency which allows me then to be more discriminating in my choice of which businesses to frequent. What I don't like is a professional persona that doesn't match what goes on behind the scenes. If the business person does something foolish like mattress Mack appears to be doing, it's a choice he/she is making.” –Christine Campbell, San Antonio “Business leaders have far more power than they should when it comes to politics. You would need to drum up a significant coalition of individual voters to equal their impact. The ability of business leaders to influence legislation, fund campaigns, and spread information is significant (on both sides of the aisle). We are prone to equate success in business with success in everything and give unwarranted acceptance of their ideas as a result. Unfortunately, for every dollar of taxes that a business is able to avoid, another dollar must be collected from individuals." –Joe Diana, San Antonio The Takeaway I’ll be attending [CERAWeek in Houston]( next week, where energy’s biggest names and sharpest innovators will hold their annual dog and pony show. Consulting firm S&P Global puts on the gabfest, where chief executives answer softball questions from consultants looking to appease potential clients. But if you want to know the industry’s official party line, CERAWeek is a one-stop shop. I’ve [attended nine CERAWeeks](, and the evolution in messaging has been remarkable. At my first conference, [coal company CEOs denounced climate change as a hoax](, and [Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson called clean energy laughable](. Every year since I’ve watched a faster evolution than I thought possible. Last year, CERAWeek speakers embraced the climate change challenge, and clean energy is the hottest topic. Incumbent fossil fuel companies may not be leading the energy transition, but they are no longer fighting it. This year, for the sake of future generations, I’ll look for even more evidence the most polluting industry is serious about a net-zero greenhouse gas emission future. Share With Your Friends Do you know someone who would like Tomlinson's Take? For the Houston edition, [send them here to sign up](; for the San Antonio edition, [send them here](. 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