See below for a spotlight on recently filed water-related bills.
HB 973 (Zwiener) would expand allowable uses of the Water Loan Assistance Fund to include weatherization of water and wastewater facilities. The bill would also create a Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Fund for other non-water projects.
HB 2443 (Harris, Cody) creates a petition process for rule changes to those with groundwater ownership or rights within a groundwater conservation district.
HB 2460 (King, Tracy)/SB 296 (Perry) would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to obtain or develop updated water availability models for the Guadalupe, Lavaca, Nueces, San Antonio, San Jacinto, and Trinity River basins. The bill specifies that TCEQ may collect data from all jurisdictions allocating water from the rivers, including those outside the state.
HB 2483 (King, Tracy)/SB 837 (Perry) would create a new investment fund title Water for Texas Fund. The fund will be invested and disbursed at the direction of the Texas Water Development Board, with a portion of disbursements to be used for rural political subdivisions, municipalities with a population of less than 150,000, and development projects for new water supply sources not currently available in Texas. The bill directs TWDB to try to acquire seven million acre-feet of new water supplies via these sources. The State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee is tasked with developing comments and recommendations for use of the Fund, as well as review the operation, function, and structure of the fund at least semiannually. The bill further directs TWDB to assist retail public utilities in conducting water loss audits.
SJR 42 (Perry) / HJR 116 (King, Terry), constitutional amendment resolutions to authorize the SB 837/HB 2483 Water for Texas Fund.
HB 2515 (Rogers) repeals two Water Code provisions specifying that interbasin water transfers are automatically junior in priority to water rights granted before the transfer application was accepted for filing.