“Water is a critical need for all Texas,” Governor Abbott said in part. “In my State of the State Address, I called on the Texas legislature to make the largest investment in water in Texas history...With this law, we will secure Texas' water future for generations to come.”

The facility, which lost power in 2022 and triggered a citywide boil water notice for 2.2 million residents, is more than 70 years old and in critical need of repairs, officials with Houston Public Works say.

Officials with the City of Houston’s Mayor’s Office released documents showing a preliminary cause to last November’s power outage at the East Houston Water Purification Plant.

Inspection reports for the city of Houston’s East Water Purification Plant show problems with various electrical components at the facility.

The water purification plant that lost power, forcing a citywide boil order, require multi-million-dollar upgrades and replacements due to poor conditions, according to an engineering report obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates.