BY: GRACE HILLS
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — More money could be flowing to the Kansas Water Plan under a new House bill, expanding the impact of a popular 2023 law aimed at addressing the growing water crisis.
Republicans, Democrats and proponents pointed to Kansas’ lack of funding for water projects and asked lawmakers to pass the bill Tuesday before the House Water Committee. There were no opponents.
The 2023 law established the Water Projects Grant Fund and the Water Technical Assistance Fund, two funds that help municipalities build and maintain water infrastructure. House Bill 2558 would expand annual funding for the Kansas Water Plan from $35 million to $60 million.
The extra $25 million for the Kansas Water Plan would come from the State General Fund. Most of the increase would be earmarked to add $10 million to both the Water Projects Grant Fund and Water Technical Assistance Fund.
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Since the 2023 law, House Bill 2302, was adopted, there have been more applications for the grants than money available. Wendi Stark, legislative liaison for the League of Kansas Municipalities said about 37% of the cities who applied received some money.
Connie Owen testified on behalf of three of the state’s big water-related agencies: the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Kansas Water Office. She characterized her testimony as neutral, but admitted it was more “neutral positive.”
“The 2302 grants really made a difference for people and their communities all over the state,” Owen said. “All we continue to hear is, ‘Keep it coming, we need more,’ ” Owen said.
Last session, a more modest version of the bill made it through the House but was never heard by the Senate. Both that bill and the one in the current session were introduced by Rep. Jim Minnix, a Republican farmer from Scott City and chair of the House Water Committee.
Owen is in the Western States Water Council, a group of 18 states that meets three times a year to discuss water solutions. Minnix asked Owen to share what she has heard from other states.
“Kansas is doing incredible things. But in terms of the comparison to what we could be doing, and the investment that other states make, it’s enormous,” Owen said. “And I’m sure that’s why you asked me that question, Mr. Chair.”
Minnix smiled in acknowledgement, and brought up the recent Texas vote to make a $20 billion investment in water. He said even for a state whose population and economy dwarfs those of Kansas, the investment was still significant.
“We kicked the can down the road for a lot of years, but when we have done programs we’ve been extremely efficient,” Minnix said.
“I definitely think the program is successful and worth continuing,” added Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, a Democrat from Overland Park.
While water issues sometime fall along party lines, the issue of the water crisis itself is rarely partisan.
Kansas towns are running out of water. The Ogallala Aquifer, which much of western Kansas relies on for daily life, dropped by more than a foot last year. Gov. Laura Kelly has identified the crisis as a top priority for her final year in office.
Last year a bipartisan taskforce was created to fight the crisis. Sen Kenny Titus, a Republican from Wamego said in July the water issue has been exacerbated in large part because of a “lack of past efforts.”
Minnix is the other taskforce co-chair. He said he typically gives the House committee a week to review bills before they’re brought back for discussion, but told the committee he wanted to discuss this one earlier than usual.
“This committee has been an extreme leader on water issues since ’23,” Minnix said. “I want you folks all to sleep on this, think about it and come back on Thursday so we can have a robust discussion on this.”
Rep. Doug Blex, a Republican farmer from Independence, said that while he will miss Thursday’s discussion, the bill has his full support. He was on the Water Committee in 2017, when the decade-long streak of governors not funding the Kansas Water Plan Fund was active.
“We have come a long way,” Blex said. “And even though we are not ranking on dollars with other states, I think we’re ranking with what we’ve got done and accomplished in many ways and the quality.”