By Counts                                             H.B. No. 2409
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to restrictions on artificial recharge of the Edwards
 1-3     Aquifer.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 1.44, Chapter 626, Acts of the 73rd
 1-6     Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, is amended by adding Subsection
 1-7     (e) to read as follows:
 1-8           (e)  The authority may contract for injection or artificial
 1-9     recharge under this section only if provision is made for
1-10     protecting and maintaining the quality of groundwater in the
1-11     receiving part of the aquifer, and:
1-12                 (1)  the water used for artificial recharge is
1-13     groundwater withdrawn from the aquifer; or
1-14                 (2)  the water is recharged through a natural recharge
1-15     feature.
1-16           SECTION 2.  Section 27.051, Water Code, is amended by adding
1-17     Subsection (h) to read as follows:
1-18           (h)  The commission may not authorize by rule or permit an
1-19     injection well that transects or terminates in the Edwards Aquifer.
1-20     The commission by rule may authorize injection of groundwater
1-21     withdrawn from the Edwards Aquifer, or injections of storm water,
1-22     flood water, or groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves
1-23     located in karst topographic areas.  For purposes of this
1-24     subsection, "Edwards Aquifer" has the meaning assigned by Section
 2-1     26.046(a).
 2-2           SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
 2-3           (b)  The change in law made by Section 27.051(h), Water Code,
 2-4     as added by this Act, applies only to an application for a permit
 2-5     that is filed with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
 2-6     Commission on or after September 1, 2001.