Bill Text: TX HB721 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the duty of the Texas Water Development Board to conduct studies of and prepare and submit reports on aquifer storage and recovery and aquifer recharge projects.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB721 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB721-Introduced.html

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86R5472 SLB-F
By: Larson H.B. No. 721

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the duty of the Texas Water Development Board to conduct
studies of and prepare and submit reports on aquifer storage and
recovery.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 11.155, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 11.155. AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY REPORTS. (a) The
board shall make studies, investigations, and surveys of the
aquifers in the state as it considers necessary to determine the
occurrence, quantity, quality, and availability of aquifers in
which water may be stored and subsequently retrieved for beneficial
use.
(b) The board, working with appropriate interested persons,
including river authorities and major water providers and water
utilities, regional water planning groups, and potential sponsors
of aquifer storage and recovery projects, shall:
(1) conduct studies of aquifer storage and recovery
projects identified in the state water plan or by interested
persons; and
(2) report the results of each study conducted under
Subdivision (1) to regional water planning groups and interested
persons.
(c) This subsection expires January 1, 2021. The board
shall:
(1) conduct a statewide survey to identify the
relative suitability of various major and minor aquifers for use in
aquifer storage and recovery projects based on consideration of:
(A) hydrogeological characteristics, with a
focus on:
(i) storage potential;
(ii) transmissivity;
(iii) storativity;
(iv) recoverability; and
(v) water quality;
(B) the frequency, volume, and distance from
excess water available for potential storage; and
(C) the current and future water supply needs
identified in the state water plan;
(2) prepare a report that includes an overview of the
survey conducted under Subdivision (1); and
(3) not later than December 15, 2020, submit the
report described by Subdivision (2) to the governor, lieutenant
governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. [The board
shall undertake the studies, investigations, and surveys in the
following order of priority:
[(1) areas designated by the commission as "priority
groundwater management areas" under Section 35.008; and
[(2) other areas of the state in a priority to be
determined by the board's ranking of where the greatest need
exists.]
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2019.