Water Development Board Lays Out IT Modernization Priorities

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is moving ahead with an enterprise technology modernization effort as the agency takes on new enforcement and coordination responsibilities involving water-use data and looks to improve systems supporting reporting, project management, cybersecurity and digital services.

The board received an IT modernization and AI road map briefing during a Sept. 2 work session. The agenda didn't detail individual AI uses or implementation timelines, but the discussion follows work already underway to assess the agency’s technology environment and establish modernization priorities.

The agency’s 2027-2031 Strategic Plan identifies technology modernization as one of its goals and says its IT Division has begun the first phase of a comprehensive modernization effort focused on system performance, scalability and security. Initial work includes assessing existing infrastructure and systems, identifying gaps and launching a server migration project.

Under the plan, the agency intends to review its enterprise IT systems, evaluate their sustainability, adaptability, life cycles and scalability, then develop a prioritized road map for remediation and investment. The agency also plans to strengthen cybersecurity, improve data governance and quality, expand analytics capabilities and make digital services more accessible.

The board has also re-established an enterprisewide process for evaluating and prioritizing technology projects. Two initiatives identified through that process are Water Loss, Use and Conservation Modernization and an Integrated Project Management System. The agency said the process is intended to better align technology investments with operational priorities across its offices.

The Water Loss, Use and Conservation system is also at the center of an enterprise modernization assessment considered by the board in May. Board materials called for authorizing negotiations for an assessment contract not to exceed about $1.7 million.

Agency documents describe the system as an integrated platform supporting the Water Loss Audit, Water Use Survey and Water Conservation and Annual Reporting applications. The board said the system remains operationally necessary but relies on legacy technology, including outdated database structures and processes that limit its ability to adapt to changing reporting requirements.

The broader assessment is intended to examine the agency’s systems, infrastructure, data and business processes, with the water reporting platform serving as an initial modernization priority. The agency said the work is intended to guide future investments within a common enterprise architecture and reduce long-term maintenance risks.

Data management and cybersecurity are also part of the effort. The strategic plan says the agency completed a review and classification of its data assets, including personally identifiable information and other sensitive information. It also reported remediating all identified vulnerabilities during the reporting period.

The modernization effort comes as the board faces additional enforcement and coordination duties involving water-use data. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 14 directed the agency to enforce water-use reporting requirements against major water users, including data centers, and to coordinate with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas on an audit examining water consumption, supply sources and water-efficiency technologies.

The directive requires the TWDB to update the Governor’s Office by Oct. 14 on its enforcement activity, adding a near-term reporting and coordination requirement as the agency continues its broader technology modernization work.