Elon Musk Wants Slice of Houston’s $30 Billion Flood Plans

Eight years after Hurricane Harvey drowned Houston, the region is still chasing a multibillion-dollar fix for its chronic flooding, and Elon Musk wants in.

The billionaire’s tunneling startup, The Boring Company, has spent months lobbying Harris County and state officials to let it build a pared-down version of the county’s proposed flood tunnel system, the Texas Newsroom and the Houston Chronicle reported. Instead of 40-foot-wide pipelines designed to siphon stormwater to the Gulf of Mexico (renamed the Gulf of America), Boring proposed two 12-foot tunnels under Buffalo Bayou — a cheaper option, but one that some engineers warn wouldn’t come close to solving the problem.

Backed by U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, a Houston Republican eyeing a U.S. Senate run, the company asked for 15 percent of the $760 million project cost upfront. Within weeks of the push, Harris County commissioners voted to study smaller-diameter tunnels, a move that mirrors Boring’s specs.

The original tunnel concept — an eight-line, 130-mile system estimated to cost $30 billion — has been under review by the Army Corps of Engineers for years, with no construction in sight. County research suggests one 40-foot tunnel could move 12,000 cubic feet of water per second, buried 40-140 feet underground depending on location. By contrast, two 12-foot tunnels would need to be multiplied fivefold to match that capacity. Those tunnels would be buried 15 feet to 30 feet below ground surface, according to Boring’s proposals.

Boring representatives said that its design is flexible and “innovative,” while some county officials are open to smaller tunnels in limited areas. A recent white paper floated the idea of a public-private partnership that would allow a private firm — potentially Boring — to design, build and even operate segments of the system.

Skeptics note that Boring has never built a major flood-control project, as it is primarily a transportation company. Critics of Musk question entrusting him with Houston’s most ambitious infrastructure undertaking since Harvey. But as climate risks mount and rival cities pursue resilience megaprojects, pressure is building for Houston to make a call — whether it’s Musk’s “lite” version or the Corps’ $30 billion behemoth.

— Eric Weilbacher