BILL ANALYSIS
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, there are no maps detailing the various water pipelines throughout the state. There should be one all-encompassing map that identifies the locations of all existing water pipelines in the state. This map could be used when a community experiencing a water shortage must find additional sources of water. Knowing the location of alternative sources of water is critical in emergency water shortages.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 578 requires a regional water planning group to identify in its regional water plan any existing major water facilities that may be used for interconnections in the event of an emergency water shortage. This information is excepted from the disclosure required under the public information law, Chapter 552, Government Code.
The bill applies only to a regional water plan submitted to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
C.S.H.B. 578 takes effect immediately if it receives a 2/3rds vote in both chambers, otherwise it is effective Sept. 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute modified the original by eliminating a requirement that any water right holder, water supplier, or person transporting water 20 miles or more report to TWDB the location of pipelines that could be used to convey water. The substitute also eliminated a requirement that TWDB prepare a map of all pipelines in the state that can be used to convey water and design a pipeline system capable of providing an undepletable emergency source of water to every part of the state.