By: Creighton S.B. No. 2406
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of a hospital to drill a water well for
the purpose of producing water for use in the event of an emergency
or natural disaster in certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 311.005 to read as follows:
Sec. 311.005. WATER WELLS FOR USE IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY OR
NATURAL DISASTER IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies
only to counties adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico and Sabine-Neches
River, with a population of at least 200,000 and less than 300,000
persons.
(b) A hospital may drill a water well on property owned by
the hospital for the purpose of producing water to supplement the
hospital's water supply in the event that an emergency or natural
disaster prevents the hospital from receiving water from the
hospital's usual source.
(c) This section does not affect the authority of a
groundwater conservation district to regulate groundwater
production under Chapter 36, Water Code, or other law governing a
groundwater conservation district.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.