About 65 residents attended the July meeting to create the South Plains Water Supply Corporation, a collaborative public entity that makes the four housing developments eligible to compete for regional, state and federal funding.

A 2016 report found that 65 Texas water systems contained excessive levels of arsenic, exposing about 51,000 Texans to the contaminant.

And the state also allocated more than $2 billion to increase water supplies, fix failing infrastructure and prevent flooding.

“A big city can just pay for it out of use fees or by selling municipal bonds, but these little systems need access to grant funds or low interest loans.”

Other contamination issues have existed for longer and became a problem when TCEQ lowered the maximum allowable levels of arsenic and fluoride.

Although HB 2701 did not pass, Sheets and Carlos Rubinstein, a former chair of the Texas Water Development Board, said they plan to reintroduce the legislation during the next regular session.

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