Senate Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs met on March 30 to take up a number of bills. This report covers SB 387 (Schwertner), SB 600 (Perry), and SB 905 (Perry et al.). A video of this hearing can be found here.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
SB 387 (Schwertner) (CS) – Relating to the appeal of rates for water or sewer service charged to certain customers in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality
- Schwertner – Bill and substitute work to ensure water or utility rate payers in an ETJ are able to appeal rate increases when the rate utilities transfer from one utility to another
- PUC has interpreted current statute to preclude those who are transferred
- CS addresses concerns brought forward by the San Antonio water system and allows certain exclusions
- Perry – Supports bill, addresses those in no-man’s land; effectively ETJ is considered a “new” customer, bill now says they have the right to appeal
- Yes; notes that a certain population has been switched three times to different providers
- Taylor – Why have certain customers been switched over three times? Where higher at Leander?
- A complex web of water service with the Leander and Georgetown; was higher across the board, but Leader wanted to raise “new” ratepayer’s rates even more
- Johnson – Should this be a little narrower for when a ratepayer can appeal, like when they are treated different than those that are already a customer?
- Notes that issue was brought up by San Antonio water system; allows for certain exclusions
- Exclusions include taking over service at the request of a rate-payer, STM process, or if they are required to take over service
- Johnson – Will look into if this is in the bill and will get back to you
- Perry – Sometimes this happens according to law, but do not want payers to be treated differently
CSSB 387 voted out of committee to local & uncontested (7 ayes, 0 nays)
SB 600 (Perry) (CS) – Relating to an inventory of dams controlled by river authorities
- Perry – Bill charges the TCEQ to create a dam inventory for infrastructure owned or managed by river authorities
- CS clarifies which river authorities will be included
CSSB 600 voted out of committee to local & uncontested (8 ayes, 0 nays)
SB 905 (Perry et al.) (CS) – Relating to guidance on the regulations applicable to the potable reuse of wastewater
- Perry – Directs TCEQ to create a guidance document for direct potable reuse projects
- About 30 direct potable reuse projects in the State Water plan totaling $1 billion in capital costs
- Without a guidance document, project managers will not know the feasibility of such projects
- CS clarifies the definition of DPR, bill reflects happenings in Sen. Springer’s district
- Springer – Yes in Wichita Falls; have toured this facility
CSSB 905 voted out of committee to local & uncontested (8 ayes, 0 nays)