Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 181	Senate Author:  Shapiro et al.
Effective:  6-17-11	House Sponsor:  Laubenberg et al.

Current law requires each regional water planning group to submit to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) a regional water plan.  Senate Bill 181 amends the Water Code to include in such a plan information on projected water use and conservation in the regional water planning area and the implementation of state and regional water plan projects, including water conservation strategies, necessary to meet the state's projected water demands.

The bill requires the TWDB and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), in consultation with the Water Conservation Advisory Council, to develop a uniform, consistent methodology and guidance for calculating water use and conservation to be used by a municipality or water utility in developing water conservation plans and preparing reports.  The bill establishes minimum guidelines for the methodology and guidance.  The TWDB or TCEQ, as appropriate, is required to use the methodology and guidance in evaluating certain water conservation plans, programs of water conservation, surveys, or other reports relating to water conservation submitted to the TWDB or TCEQ.  The bill requires the TWDB, in consultation with TCEQ and the advisory council, to develop a data collection and reporting program for municipalities and water utilities with more than 3,300 connections.  The bill requires the TWDB to submit to the legislature a biennial report that includes the most recent data relating to statewide water usage in the residential, industrial, agricultural, commercial, and institutional sectors and relating to the data collection and reporting program.  The bill requires TCEQ and the TWDB, as appropriate, to adopt rules and standards as necessary to implement statutory provisions relating to water conservation, as amended by the bill, and establishes certain guidelines for rules adopted under such provisions.