Voters across Texas will weigh in this November on Proposition 6, which asks whether legislators can move $2 billion from the rainy day fund to a new account for a state water plan to address the state's water shortage.

House Bill 4 was constructed in early January to support the next 50 years and $30 billion worth of the state's water supply and promote water conservation after the statewide 2011 drought that created $8.7 billion in damages. The state water plan will ensure that cities, rural communities, farms, ranches, businesses and industries have enough water during a drought.

"People generally don't understand that Proposition 6 is not a tax," said Barbara Payne, spokeswoman for the North Harris County Regional Water Authority. "It is money that has already been collected by the state. It simply puts it in a way that it can be utilized for something that affects every single one of us. It was for a rainy day. Actually what it's turned out to be for is a drought."

One project that would help Harris County's long-term groundwater supplies is the Luce Bayou Project, developed to stream water from the Trinity River into Lake Houston to alleviate Lake Conroe water levels. Water supply in Harris County residential areas will look to benefit the most. The Luce Bayou canal, once completed, would have the capacity to pump 400 million gallons of water daily to residents within the Houston Metro area. The project could potentially be funded with money from the State Water Implementation Fund of Texas (SWIFT) account.

Texas does not have a dedicated funding source for water infrastructure to support the anticipated future rise in public demand on the water supply, Bell said. By 2060, the state water supply is expected to decrease 18 percent, while the water demand is expected to increase 27 percent, Bell said.

Texas State Representative Allen Fletcher, a three-term legislator representing Harris County in District 130 in Northwest Houston, supports Proposition 6.

"I'm really happy we're getting some rain, but we're still way below our numbers," he said. "I think it's important we pass the use of these monies. We can't just put our heads in the sand and wait. We have to deal with the reality of the future. The truth is it takes 40 years for these big projects to take effect. You have to think long term."

The 2012 State Water Plan integrated with HB 4 recommends 562 unique water supply projects to meet the state's projected needs for additional water supplies throughout the next 50 years.

"Everybody understands we have to have a plan," said Gary Underwood, director of agriculture appraisal for Harris County. "We're growing rapidly here. The demand is going to be there more and more. We've got to have more water. It's a continual need as long as we have the growth we have."

A stable water supply is essential to continuing to attract businesses to the region, legislators said.

"Water is a critical part of Texas and we have to do something about the water issue," Fletcher said. "I voted for it. We have to make smart business decisions. The only thing other states can say about Texas is 'be careful if you go to Texas, they may not have water'. That is the only push back. The truth is that's not a reality. We're not going to let that happen in Texas."

With additional reporting by Connor Hyde and Shawn Arrajj