Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2781 by Fletcher (Relating to rainwater harvesting and other water conservation initiatives.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code, the Health and Safety Code, the Local Government Code, and the Property Code relating to rainwater harvesting and other water conservation initiatives. The bill would replace the term "and landscape watering" with the term "and outdoor water" in the list of uses of certain requirements to be incorporated into the design and construction of certain new state buildings. The Texas Facilities Commission indicates the provision would not reflect a fiscal implication to the state.
Under bill provisions, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) would be required to provide by rule that if a structure has a rainwater harvesting system, it must have appropriate cross-connection safeguards. TCEQ indicates rulemaking duties under bill provisions would not result in a significant fiscal implication to the agency.
The bill would make several other amendments related to privately owned rainwater harvesting system. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
Local Government Impact
The Local Government Code would be amended to require training on rainwater harvesting for the permitting staff of each county and municipality located in a priority groundwater management area or with a population of more than 10,000 rather than 100,000, but this provision is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication to local government.
Source Agencies:
303 Facilities Commission, 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 592 Soil and Water Conservation Board