SRC-TJG C.S.S.B. 1633 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1633
By: Wentworth
Natural Resources
4/23/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

C.S.S.B. 1633 provides for the use of water and salt conserving water
softening devices in certain defined situations. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 366, Health and Safety Code, by
adding Sections 366.013 and 366.014, as follows: 

Sec. 366.013.  INSTALLATION AND USE OF WATER SOFTENERS AND REVERSE OSMOSIS
SYSTEMS.  (a) Authorizes an owner to install and use a household water
softener that discharges effluent into an on-site sewage disposal system
only if the installed water softener meets certain requirements. 

(b) Requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to
design and make the label required by Subsection (a)(3) available to
owners and installers and to the Texas Water Quality Association for
distribution to owners and installers.  Requires the part of the label
identifying the system as being equipped with a demand-initiated
regeneration control device (DIR device) to be in a font size not smaller
than 18 points.  Authorizes TCEQ to charge a nominal fee for the labels
and requires TCEQ to maintain compliance information on its website to
allow owners and installers of household water softeners easy access to
that information. 

(c) Authorizes a water softener without a DIR device installed on an
on-site sewage disposal system before September 1, 2003, to be continued
in use until the system is required to be repermitted after correction of
a system failure or until a replacement water softener is installed.
Provides that a DIR device is required for a water softener installed on
and after September 1, 2003, on a new on-site sewage disposal system or a
replacement water softener installed on or after that date on an existing
on-site sewage disposal system. 

(d) Requires a water softener installed on an on-site sewage disposal
system to be sized, programmed, and calibrated for the most efficient
operation possible, as determined by a certified water treatment
specialist, for added protection to the environment and for the proper
operation of the system. 

(e) Authorizes an owner to install and use a point-of-use reverse osmosis
system that discharges effluent into an on-site sewage disposal system. 

(f) Authorizes an owner to install and use a whole-house reverse osmosis
system that discharges effluent into an on-site sewage disposal system if
the calculated volume of effluent does not cause hydraulic overloading or
has been adequately  addressed in the design of the on-site sewage
disposal system. 

Sec. 366.014.  EXEMPTION.  Requires the provisions of Section 366.013 to
apply only to conventional on-site sewage disposal systems and prohibits
those provisions from applying to aerobic on-site sewage disposal systems. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.