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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the submission and enforcement of system water loss |
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audits performed by certain retail public utilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 16.0121, Water Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (c), and (f) and adding Subsection (g) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A [Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), a] retail |
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public utility providing potable water [that receives from the
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board financial assistance] shall perform, review, and file with |
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the board an annual water audit computing the utility's system |
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water loss during the preceding year. |
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(c) The board shall develop appropriate methodologies and |
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submission dates for a water audit required under Subsection (b) |
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[or (b-1)] for the following categories of retail public utilities: |
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(1) retail public utilities serving populations of |
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100,000 or more; |
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(2) retail public utilities serving populations of |
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50,000 or more but less than 100,000; |
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(3) retail public utilities serving populations of |
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more than 10,000 but less than 50,000; and |
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(4) retail public utilities serving populations of |
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10,000 or less. |
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(f) The board shall compile the information included in the |
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water audits required by Subsection [Subsections] (b) [and (b-1)] |
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according to category of retail public utility and according to |
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regional water planning area. The regional planning group for a |
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regional planning area shall use the information to identify |
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appropriate water management strategies in the development of a |
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regional water plan under Section 16.053. |
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(g) The board may notify the commission if the board |
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determines that an entity has violated this section. |
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Notwithstanding Section 7.051(b), a violation of this section is |
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enforceable in the manner provided by Chapter 7 for a violation of a |
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provision of this code within the commission's jurisdiction or of a |
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rule adopted by the commission under a provision of this code within |
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the commission's jurisdiction. |
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SECTION 2. Section 16.0121(b-1), Water Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than May 1, 2015, a retail public |
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utility providing potable water that does not receive financial |
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assistance from the Texas Water Development Board shall file with |
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the board the first annual water audit required by Section 16.0121, |
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Water Code, as amended by this Act. The water audit must compute |
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the utility's most recent annual system water loss. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |