By: Kuempel H.B. No. 4273
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the issuance of a permit to a local government
corporation for a public water supply project.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 36.122, Subchapter D, Chapter 36, Water
Code, is amended by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:
(j) Public water supply projects recognized in the State
Water Plan or an approved regional water plan and supplying water to
water utilities by a water conveyance constructed to convey water
from one or more permitted water supply wells are entitled to
receive permits to construct, produce and transport water from
groundwater conservation districts in an amount sufficient to meet
the design capacity of the conveyance system. Notwithstanding any
other provisions of this chapter, the permits or series of permits
required for the continuous operation of the water supply project
at its design capacity shall be issued in accord with the orders,
regulations, ordinances, rules, plans, or other properly adopted
requirements of the regulating districts(s) in effect at the time
the water supply conveyance is constructed. For regulatory
purposes, artesian water level drawdown shall be computed as a
district wide average and must be measured outside the property
controlled by the permittee. All permits required for the
continuous operation of the water supply project at its design
capacity are considered to be a single series of permits and shall
be in effect for the period required by Section 36.122(i) from and
after the issuance of the final permit in the single series of
permits.
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, 2009.