BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1573
85R18870 DMS-D	By: Price (Creighton)
	Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs
	5/15/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Section 16.0121, Water Code, requires a retail public utility providing potable water to perform and file with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) an audit computing the utility's system water loss during the preceding year. The audit must be completed annually unless the utility does not receive financial assistance from TWDB and does not provide service to more than 3,300 connections, in which case an audit is due every five years. Conducting a water loss audit requires a detailed understanding of the utility's system and knowledge of the terminology and tools available for analyzing results of the audit. An improperly conducted audit does not provide the utility with the information needed to adequately track and identify water loss issues that may require immediate action.

H.B. 1573 requires that water loss audits are to be completed by a person trained to conduct the auditing. TWDB shall make training on water loss auditing available without charge from TWDB's website. TWDB may provide training in person or by video or a functionally similar and widely available medium. Training must include comprehensive knowledge of water utility systems and terminology and any tools available for analyzing audit results.

H.B. 1573 amends current law relating to personnel requirements for water loss auditors.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Water Development Board in SECTION 1 (Section 16.0121, Water Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 16.0121, Water Code, by adding Subsections (i) and (j), as follows:

(i) Requires the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), by rule, to require the audits required by Subsections (b) (relating to the requirement of a retail public utility providing potable water to perform and file a certain audit) and (b-1) (relating to the requirement of a retail public utility providing potable water that does not receive certain assistance to file a certain audit) to be completed by a person trained to conduct water loss auditing.

(j) Requires TWDB to make training on water loss auditing available without charge from TWDB's website. Authorizes TWDB to provide training in person or by video or a functionally similar and widely available medium. Requires that training provided under this subsection include comprehensive knowledge of water utility systems and terminology and any tools available for analyzing audit results. Authorizes TWDB, in creating training materials, to consider other organizations' training programs.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2017.