By: Puente, Rose (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister) H.B. No. 2430
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 25, 2005;
April 26, 2005, read first time and referred to Committee on
Natural Resources; May 17, 2005, reported adversely, with
favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 10,
Nays 0; May 17, 2005, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2430 By: Jackson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a rainwater harvesting evaluation
committee and to standards for harvested rainwater.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Texas Water Development Board shall
establish a Rainwater Harvesting Evaluation Committee to study the
feasibility of using rainwater as a source of water supply.
(b) The committee is composed of four members as follows:
(1) a representative of the Texas Water Development
Board, appointed by the board;
(2) a representative of the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, appointed by the commission;
(3) a representative of the Department of State Health
Services, appointed by the commissioner of state health services;
and
(4) a representative of the Texas section of the
American Water Works Association's Conservation and Reuse
Division, appointed by the governing body of that section.
(c) The representative from the Texas Water Development
Board is the presiding officer of the committee.
(d) The committee may request the assistance of outside
experts or consultants, as necessary.
(e) Not later than December 1, 2006, the committee shall
provide a report to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the
house of representatives. The report must:
(1) evaluate the potential for rainwater harvesting in
this state; and
(2) recommend:
(A) minimum water quality guidelines and
standards for potable and nonpotable indoor uses of rainwater;
(B) treatment methods for potable and nonpotable
indoor uses of rainwater;
(C) ways, such as dual plumbing systems, to use
rainwater harvesting systems in conjunction with existing
municipal water systems for residential, industrial, community, or
public water supplies; and
(D) ways that the state can further promote
rainwater harvesting.
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 341, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 341.042 to read as follows:
Sec. 341.042. STANDARDS FOR HARVESTED RAINWATER. The
commission shall establish recommended standards relating to the
domestic use of harvested rainwater, including health and safety
standards for treatment and collection methods for harvested
rainwater intended for drinking, cooking, or bathing.
SECTION 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2006, the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality shall adopt standards as
required by Section 341.042, Health and Safety Code, as added by
this Act.
(b) The commission shall coordinate with the Rainwater
Harvesting Evaluation Committee in developing the recommended
standards established and adopted under Section 341.042, Health and
Safety Code.
SECTION 4. Section 1 of this Act expires and the Rainwater
Harvesting Evaluation Committee is abolished January 1, 2007.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
* * * * *