Episode 05: FEMA Cuts, US-Mexico Water, and the State of Our Infrastructure
Welcome back to the Water Lobby Podcast! This is Episode 5, and we switched things up, recording on a Saturday evening (April 12th, 2025) instead of our usual morning slot.After catching up on our days – Sanjay hitting a 5K, grabbing tacos, and getting some sun paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake, and Eduardo tackling gardening and building shed doors – we dove into some pressing topics circulating in the water world.FEMA's BRIC Program Axed: A Necessary Cut or a Loss for Resilience?The big news shaking the industry recently was FEMA's decision to cancel the Building Resilience in Communities (BRIC) grant program. Officially framed as ending a "wasteful, politicized grant program," this move has sparked considerable debate.Sanjay's Take: While acknowledging the program wasn't perfect and faced criticism, many felt it was heading towards stability. The BRIC program commanded significant funding – growing from $500 million in 2020 to nearly $2.3 billion in 2022, before settling back to $1 billion in 2023. However, a key point of contention has been the high management costs (peaking near $300 million in 2022). These funds often went to large consulting firms, some arguably outside their core expertise (like accounting firms managing resilience projects), raising questions about value and efficiency. There were also concerns that funding disproportionately favored larger urban centers over smaller, rural communities. Was the program poorly run from the start, making it an easy target for cuts, even if the goal of community resilience is vital?Eduardo's Take: From a Texas perspective, federal relationships are always complex. While emergency disaster funds (like for Hurricane Harvey recovery) flow more directly, programs like BRIC often involve layers of bureaucracy and studies that might feel wasteful. Slashing funding for reports and travel might seem logical, but is it targeted correctly? The definition of "infrastructure" itself is debated (is a hospital infrastructure?). While disaster recovery (fixing roads, levees, rescuing people) needs funding, perhaps the "waste" was more in the administrative overhead and consultant studies than in tangible resilience efforts. We need to focus on real infrastructure needs without getting lost in political maneuvering.Ultimately, both hosts agreed that communities impacted by disasters need direct resources and support, leveraging local knowledge and addressing trauma, rather than just another PowerPoint presentation from external consultants.The US-Mexico Water Treaty: A Looming Deadline and Cross-Border TensionsAnother critical issue gaining national attention involves the 1944 Water Treaty between the US and Mexico. Mexico is obligated to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water over a five-year cycle, but they are currently behind schedule, facing a deficit as the October 25, 2025 deadline approaches.Sanjay's Perspective: This isn't just a numbers game; it impacts vital agricultural sectors on both sides of the border. Texas relies heavily on produce from Mexico (think HEB avocados!), and Mexico's own agricultural industry is struggling due to drought and infrastructure challenges, forcing some workers to migrate. While the federal government is involved, this requires sensitive, bilateral negotiation. We receive the products of Mexico's water use (food), even if the water delivery itself is lagging. Is simply demanding the water without considering the context the right approach? Furthermore, could Texas invest more in its own solutions, like desalination of abundant brackish groundwater, reducing reliance on treaty deliveries?Eduardo's Perspective: The 1944 treaty is old. Water scarcity is a huge scientific challenge. How do we even accurately measure water, especially complex groundwater systems? The science is arguably as complex as rocket science, yet the political negotiations might lack that technical depth. Is the current political rhetoric around this issue truly about water scarcity, or is it a hijacking of popular sentiment, similar to debates around FEMA funding? Perhaps the focus should be less on scarcity (Eduardo believes there's enough water, it's just not distributed equitably) and more on efficient management, fixing waste (like leaky pipes losing 40-50% of transmitted water), and avoiding the politicization of essential resources.(For deeper dives, Sanjay recommended checking out Dr. Rosario Sanchez's work at Texas A&M on transboundary aquifers and engaging with TCEQ).Water Conservation, Shower Pressure, and Infrastructure GradesConnecting to resource management, we touched on water conservation efforts.* Local Initiatives: Austin's Water Forward plans and the "purple pipe" system for reclaimed water show proactive steps.* Expert Insights: Dr. Robert Mace from the Meadows Center at Texas State is a key voice in conservation (catch him at the ACEWRI meeting in May!).* The Reality: Conservation measures can have tangible effects – like the low water pressure Dr. Mace joked about experiencing in a LEED-certified apartment. This led to a lighter discussion on shower preferences and the political statement about ending the "war on water pressure."* The Report Card: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its latest infrastructure report card. While the overall grade improved slightly (thanks, IIJA funding!), Wastewater received a D. This is concerning.* Eduardo noted this low grade isn't new, and while disheartening, the US might compare poorly to places like the Netherlands or Japan (Sanjay mentioned Japan's massive underground storm drainage). He emphasized that urban centers often have more resources to tackle these issues than rural areas, highlighting a need to support those communities.* Sanjay pointed out the real-world implications: boil water notices, struggles for rural utilities to meet EPA standards or hire qualified staff (like Class C operators), and the tragedies seen in places like Flint, Michigan, which are sadly not isolated incidents. The challenge of aging infrastructure is compounded by workforce issues.Looking Ahead: Building Reservoirs and Developing Talent* Future Supply: The Brazos River Authority is moving forward with the Allen Creek Reservoir project near Houston/Sugar Land – a crucial step given Texas's projected population growth (4.6 million more in the basin by 2080) and the incredibly long timeline for building new reservoirs (often 50+ years from planning to completion).* Workforce Development: With a significant portion of the water utility workforce nearing retirement (Sanjay cited stats suggesting potentially over 55-60% have less than 10 years' experience), knowledge transfer is critical. Programs like the San Antonio River Authority's initiative bringing students in for hands-on water quality testing are vital for building the next generation of water professionals – whatever their engineering title might be (Civil, Electrical, AI, or even "Human" engineers building communities!).Join the Conversation!This was our longest episode yet, packed with discussion! A huge thank you to everyone tuning in and subscribing on Substack and YouTube – we were thrilled to hit 100 views on our last video episode!We truly appreciate you spending your time with us. Please continue to engage – subscribe, like, comment, and share. What are your thoughts on the FEMA cuts, the Mexico water treaty, or the state of our water infrastructure? Let us know! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waterlobby.substack.com
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