Tesla’s Giga Texas increased its annual treated water use by more than 200 million gallons in just two years, raising concerns about whether Austin can fulfill its long-term water conservation plans as Elon Musk advances plans for a new semiconductor plant expected to push demand even higher.

From 2023 to 2025, Tesla’s annual treated water use rose about 68% to 556 million gallons becoming Austin Water’s third-largest customer — up from fifth in 2023, according to Austin Water. The increase is raising new concerns about how water limits are applied, as residents are urged to conserve water while large industrial users continue to expand. In March, Musk announced Terafab, a proposed $20-25 billion semiconductor fabrication plant near Giga Texas, also known as the Gigafactory, in eastern Travis County. Environmentalists warn the project could further strain a persistently drought-stricken region and potentially clash with the city’s long-term water planning efforts.

“It’s extremely alarming,” said Paul DiFiore, an environmental attorney who sits on Austin’s Water Forward task force. “All of a sudden, they’re using more water than the vast majority of people in the city.”

Tesla began construction of the Gigafactory in the summer 2020, with the help of $13.9 million tax rebate from Travis County. The factory opened in April 2022 and has since become one of Austin Water’s largest consumers, with usage rising in a short period of time.

Environmental Attorney Sarah Faust, who also sits on Austin’s Water Forward Task Force, said that Tesla was granted a service extension request from Austin Water, a process that does not require City Council approval. Austin Water said it provides water to only a portion of the Gigafactory, and the company’s property extends across the service boundaries of multiple utility providers.

By last fall, the factory had produced 500,000 vehicles — a manufacturing process that, Faust noted, requires a significant amount of water.

In a separate city process first approved in 2018, the city has worked to solidify and refine its 100-year water resource plan known as “Water Forward.” The plan, which was last updated in 2024, is intended to balance water needs against a future of climate change, the possibility of increasingly severe drought and continued growth.

Faust said the task force charged with updating the plan takes into account large commercial consumers, but “when we get new, big users that grow dramatically in a short amount of time, that does cause a little bit more concern.”

She acknowledged that economic development is important, but said as many Austinites are being asked to conserve, the sharp increase in water use raises questions about whether conservation efforts are being applied evenly, or whether large industrial users are operating under different constraints.

Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright led the agency’s efforts to reform oilfield waste rules. Oil billionaires are now backing Bo French to unseat him.

Here’s what to look for: larvae that is visible in wounds, the nose, or the ears, as well as egg masses in or around wounds. Keep an eye out for any wounds with a thin, watery discharge with an odor of decay, or that enlarge or deepen over time. Additionally, if you notice any behavioral signs of irritation - like head shaking or rubbing against trees - or signs of pain - like depression, irritability, and isolation - you should take that animal to the veterinarian immediately.

On March 4, the day after the Texas Senate Republican primary, President Donald Trump was resolute — he would be endorsing “soon” in the runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, and he wanted the contest to end quickly.

More than a month later, the president has been noncommittal about the runoff. He has stayed on the sidelines well past the deadline for candidates to drop off the May ballot and downplayed the threat of Democratic nominee James Talarico.

“I believe that any human being running against him, sick, incompetent, close to death or even a child, would win,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on March 22. “He may be the Worst candidate I have ever seen.”

That missive was a notable shift from Trump’s message the day after the primary, when he said he’d expect the candidate he did not endorse to drop out for “the good of the Party,” adding, “We must win in November!!!” The president’s posture at the time appeared to bode well for Cornyn, whose allies have tried to convince Trump that Paxton would be a weaker candidate in the general election.

But since then, Paxton supporters and activists in the MAGA movement have loudly campaigned against a Cornyn endorsement, and the attorney general was seen discussing the runoff with Trump himself at a GOP fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago, Politico reported.

The notoriously unpredictable president could still weigh in over the next seven weeks. But his inaction before last month’s dropout deadline has only hardened the rivalry.

Used some OCR to markdown to make this easier to read. This letter was not sent to me, but sharing here as it concerns this community.

Governor Greg Abbott
March 26, 2026

In the Texas primary in March, more than 2.2 million Texas Republicans made their voices heard loud and clear as we march toward this critical election in November.

The problem is the DEMOCRATS’ total was bigger: more than 2.3 million votes.

That means more Democrats than Republicans voted in this election, something that simply doesn’t happen in Texas.

In the biggest red state in America, that’s a THREAT I’m taking seriously.

I’m responding by redoubling our efforts to make sure that every statewide Republican wins up and down the ballot this November. Texas Republicans haven’t lost a statewide race since 1994, and it’s not going to happen on my watch!

The problem is the liberals are as energized as we’ve ever seen in Texas.

• The Democrats’ vote total was more than twice as high as any midterm primary this century, and their voters are fired up on a mix of socialism, anti-Trump derangement, and what they think is an opportunity to finally “turn Texas blue.”
• The liberal media is cheering them on. The New York Times asked: “Is This the Year Texas Goes Blue”? MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) called it: “Trump’s nightmare.”
• The New Yorker wrote: “The Dream of Blue Texas Rides Again.”
• And Democrat groups are spending $30 million to coordinate their efforts, sign up voters, and build a long-term “blue Texas” campaign infrastructure.

I certainly don’t want to sound ungrateful. I was honored to receive more than 82 percent of the vote in my own primary election, up against 10 challengers. I take that vote as an inspiring, overwhelming mandate from the Republican base in the Lone Star State — and I’m going to use it as fuel for the fire of our victory this November.

But based on the overall totals from both parties, the Democrats are starting with a huge lead. Here’s how we’re going to beat them. I’m asking for your support today for our ground game operation that will lift the entire Republican ticket in November. We’re going to organize early, we’re going to register (legally) every Republican voter we can, and we’re going to build an operation that turns out every last Republican vote in the state. BUT WE MUST START NOW.

David, I need your help to KEEP TEXAS RED. That’s why I’m asking you to join this fight by SIGNING the enclosed “KEEP TEXAS RED URGENT 2026 DIRECTIVE.” With your urgent contribution of $150, $75, or $50, you’ll be helping me reach our campaign goal of raising $250,000 to fund our ground game in all 254 counties — NOW!

This November, the radical left is coming for Texas with one terrifying goal: full Democrat control of the border, from California to the Lone Star State. And we have another Beto O’Rourke wannabe running for U.S. Senate who claims God is “non-binary,” there are six biological sexes, and we should have a giant welcome mat at the U.S.-Mexico border!

You saw the difference between Joe Biden’s four years — open borders and runaway crime — and President Trump fully backing our efforts to shut down the border and bring illegal immigration to practically zero. One of my proudest accomplishments in office is Operation Lone Star, and I am going to fight tooth and nail to stop the Democrats from dismantling it.

But that’s not all we’re fighting for.

• I was proud to sign school choice into law, empowering Texas parents and ensuring our great state is ALWAYS pro-family, pro-freedom, and pro-Texas values.
• I delivered record-breaking property tax relief to put more money in your wallets — you deserve to keep more of your own money after four years of Biden inflation.
• I was the first governor in the country to officially designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist and transnational criminal organizations.
• Texas is the biggest, boldest, most powerful red state in the country. While other states (and New York City) fall for the empty promise of socialism, Texas PROVES that a strong economy, American energy, and family values are what really works.

Of course, I’m honored to have President Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement,” and I’m proud to work with him on the border, on energy, and on our economy. There’s simply too much at stake for our state and our country to allow the Democrats to win.

I know you agree with me: In the BIGGEST RED STATE in America, we can’t let these socialists take our Texas away from us. You’ve been a loyal supporter of mine since 2023, and I need to know you’re in this fight.

David, I’m launching the BIGGEST GROUND GAME ever to keep Texas red. With your help, we’re going to identify, register, and turn out Republican voters with an overwhelming grassroots effort.

That’s why I’m asking you to sign the enclosed “KEEP TEXAS RED” URGENT 2026 DIRECTIVE and help me reach our goal of raising $250,000 as soon as possible. Your immediate contribution of $150, $75, or $50 is crucial — TODAY.

Sincerely,
(signature)
Greg
Governor Greg Abbott

P.S. If you didn’t think Democrats could ever turn Texas blue, I need you to look at those primary vote numbers again. The Democrats just turned out more voters than Republicans in a Texas election. We need to FIGHT to make sure that not a single Republican loses in November. Please, sign the enclosed “KEEP TEXAS RED” URGENT 2026 DIRECTIVE and rush back your contribution of $150, $75, or $50 — AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Thank you, David, for your help. — Governor Abbott

Political Ad Paid for by Texans for Greg Abbott

New state rules that eliminate natural smokeable hemp products and increase licensing fees will go into effect at the end of the month. Hemp industry leaders say these new regulations will eliminate a majority of their inventory and force those who don’t have extra income to meet these new fees to close stores.

Earlier this month, the Texas Department of State Health Services released regulations on consumable hemp-derived THC products that will go into effect on March 31. These new regulations include child-resistant packaging, a significant increase in licensing fees, new labeling, testing, and bookkeeping requirements. The rules also codify the legal purchasing age to 21, which went into effect last year as an emergency directive.

However, hemp retailers say the regulation that decreases the amount of total THC in products they sell to 0.3% will eliminate popular smokeable hemp products, such as rolled joints and smokeable flower buds, which make up more than 50% of some stores’ inventories.

The Texas Legislature voted to ban the products out of fear that these intoxicating products were consistently getting into the hands of children. But, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the decision last summer, before asking the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and DSHS to increase regulations on the industry instead.

The rules also increase licensing fees for manufacturers of hemp-derived THC from $258 to $10,000 per facility and retail registrations from $155 to $5,000, which industry leaders say will fulfill the ban by forcing businesses to close.

“They did a ban with their own regulatory scheme,” Lukas Gilkey, chief executive of Hometown Hero, a manufacturer of hemp-derived products, said. “The way they wrote the rules, it’s going to eliminate a lot of products that are fully legal and fully fine and not harmed anyone.”