Sec. 15.002. PURPOSE. (a) The legislature finds that it is in the public interest and to the benefit of the general public of the state to encourage and to assist in the planning and construction of projects to develop and conserve the storm water and floodwater as well as the ordinary flows of the rivers and streams of the state, to maintain and enhance the quality of the water of the state, to provide protection to the state's citizens from the floodwater of the rivers and streams of the state, to provide drainage, subsidence control, public beach nourishment, recharge, chloride control, brush control, weather modification, regionalization, and desalination, to provide for the management of aquatic vegetation, and other purposes as provided by law or board rule.

(b) The legislature finds that the conventional means of financing projects are inadequate to meet current and anticipated needs of the state. Therefore, it is the further intent of the legislature to provide a means of coordinating the development of projects through the board and to provide political subdivisions the maximum opportunity to finance projects through programs provided by this chapter. Projects may be in the state or outside the state, provided that out-of-state projects must be funded through a Texas political subdivision or an institution of higher education and must result in water being available for use in or for the benefit of Texas or maintain and enhance the quality of water in Texas.

(c) The legislature finds that serious health and sanitation problems face the citizens of this state from discharges of untreated and treated waste water into the Rio Grande. It is the intent of the legislature to provide a means of coordinating and financing the development of waste water treatment projects through cooperative efforts between this state, the United States, and the Republic of Mexico to improve the quality of water being discharged into the Rio Grande.

Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 102, ch. 12, Sec. 1, eff. Nov. 10, 1981. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 133, Sec. 2.02; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 624, Sec. 2.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 295, Sec. 41, eff. June 7, 1991; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1010, Sec. 4.08, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1461, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 966, Sec. 4.05, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.