Drought conditions in the Rio Grande Valley are so bad, lawmakers are calling it a major issue with communities along the border running out of water.
Flowing water is something that could soon be harder to come by with a drought that just will not go away.
State Rep. Rene Oliveira of Brownsville is calling on Valley residents to conserve.
"We have reached a crisis with water in our state," said Oliveira.
Whether it’s for drinking, bathing, irrigation for agriculture, landscaping, or just plain fun, the National Weather Service said mother nature isn't providing enough for the Valley.
Most of the area is under a severe or extreme and even exceptional drought thanks to a lack of rain and a shortage of resources to collect and store rainfall.
"We lose a lot of water that just flows out to the gulf of Mexico," said Oliveira.
The lawmaker predicts money from the state's rainy day fund will be used to save the precious resource.
The legislature is considering a $2 billion plan to pay for those projects but Oliveira says time is running out.
"We're going to have a quality but more importantly a quantity problem and its going to hit faster than people think," said Oliveria.
Four things you can do to save water and cut down on your water bill include:
- Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth
- Don't water your lawn when the sun is up
- Install a low-flow shower head
- Insulate your pipes to avoid waiting for the H2O to heat up
Congressmen Ruben Hinojosa, Henry Cuellar and Filemon Vela have written a letter to Mexico's Ambassador, asking for water to be returned to the Rio Grande.
They say Mexico is obligated to provide water to the U.S. and that the neighboring country is far behind in water payments.
View the actual letter here
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