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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the calculation and reporting of water usage and |
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conservation by municipalities and water utilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 16.403 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 16.403. WATER USE AND CONSERVATION CALCULATION AND |
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REPORTING. (a) The board and the commission, in consultation with |
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the Water Conservation Advisory Council, shall develop a uniform |
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system for calculating water use and conservation to be used by a |
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municipality or water utility in developing water conservation |
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plans and preparing reports required under this code. At a minimum, |
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the system must include: |
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(1) a method of calculating water use for each sector |
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of water users served by a municipality or water utility; |
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(2) a method of classifying water users within |
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sectors; |
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(3) a method of calculating water use in the |
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residential sector that includes both single-family and |
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multifamily residences, in gallons per capita per day; |
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(4) a method of calculating water use in the |
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commercial and institutional sectors that is dependent on a |
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municipality's population or the number of customers served by a |
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water utility; |
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(5) a method of calculating water use in the |
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industrial and agricultural sectors that is not dependent on a |
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municipality's population or the number of customers served by a |
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water utility; and |
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(6) guidelines on the use of service populations by a |
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municipality or water utility in developing a per-capita-based |
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method of calculation, including guidance on the use of permanent |
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and temporary populations in making calculations. |
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(b) The board or the commission, as appropriate, shall use |
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the system developed under Subsection (a) in evaluating a water |
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conservation plan, program of water conservation, survey, or other |
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report relating to water conservation submitted to the board or the |
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commission under: |
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(1) Section 11.1271; |
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(2) Section 13.146; |
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(3) Section 15.106; |
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(4) Section 15.995; |
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(5) Section 16.012(m); |
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(6) Section 17.125(b); or |
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(7) Section 17.857(b). |
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(c) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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board shall submit to the legislature a report that includes the |
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most recent data relating to statewide water usage in each major |
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water use sector described by Subsections (a)(3) and (4). |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2013, the Texas |
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Water Development Board and the Texas Commission on Environmental |
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Quality, in consultation with the Water Conservation Advisory |
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Council, shall develop the water use and conservation calculation |
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system required by Section 16.403(a), Water Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2015, the Texas Water |
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Development Board shall submit to the legislature the first report |
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required by Section 16.403(c), Water Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |