LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
WATER DEVELOPMENT POLICY IMPACT STATEMENT
 
80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 13, 2007

TO:
Honorable Robert Puente, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1855 by Zerwas (Relating to the creation of the Fulshear Municipal Utility District No. 1 of Fort Bend County; providing authority to impose a tax and issue bonds; granting the power of eminent domain.), As Introduced

The Legislative Budget Board, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), has determined that:

 

The bill creates Fulshear Municipal Utility District No. 1 (District) in Fort Bend County with the powers and duties of a municipal utility district under Water Code Chapters 49 and 54. The purpose of the District includes: providing works and projects under powers conferred by Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution to benefit the property within the District and the power of eminent domain.  The bill did not include the names of the temporary directors.  The District is subject to confirmation election by the voters.

 

 1)     Population-   The description of the proposed boundaries does not allow staff to develop precise population estimates. It appears that at least some of this district may lie within the city of Fulshear.  The 2000 Census population of Fort Bend County was 354,452, with 38,168 living in areas identified in the 2007 State Water Plan as “County-Other” (outside cities of more than 500 and established water utility districts), and with 716 in Fulshear.  The total county population is projected to increase to 630,624 by 2020, the County-Other population is projected to increase to 120,315, the population of Fulshear is projected to increase to 1,056.

 

2)     Location – The district is located within Fort Bend County.

 

3)  Comments on Powers/Duties Different from Similar Types of Districts- The District will have road powers.  The District may be divided into multiple districts.  If the District has not been confirmed before September 1, 2011, then the District is dissolved on September 1, 2011.

 

4)  Overlapping Services- The stated boundaries form an acceptable closure. There is insufficient information provided in the bill to determine if the District overlaps any water supply or sewer‑service corporations, investor‑owned utilities, or local water districts or authorities.  An area map containing at least two references points (major road names, road intersections) and the proposed district's geographic location mapped within Fort Bend County is needed to complete an overlapping service check. The District may overlap CCN Nos. 12902 and 20867: Aqua Texas, Inc.

 

5)  TCEQ's Supervision- As with general law districts, the TCEQ will have general supervisory authority, including bond review authority and review of financial reports.

 

6)  Water Use - 42 percent of Fort Bend County water use in 2004 was for municipal purposes, with 33 percent for power generation and 19 percent for irrigation.   53 percent of the total water use and 92 percent of the municipal water use comes from groundwater sources.



Source Agencies:
580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
LBB Staff:
JOB, WK