Video & Transcript Research : 'multi-county water conservation district'

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TX

Texas 89th Regular

Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 5th, 2025

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have around 26 or 27 water districts and irrigation districts.
  • The water district will cooperate, which is most of the water districts and irrigation districts, but
  • But we have around 26, 27 water districts and irrigation districts.
  • Water district will cooperate, which is most of the water districts and irrigation district.
  • And the mitigation plan currently in Gonzales County by the Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation
Summary: The Senate Water, Agriculture, Rural Affairs Committee heard several bills focused on groundwater management, water infrastructure, and agricultural land conservation. SB 612 would limit certain water districts in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties from charging developers pipeline construction fees above actual, documented costs; the committee substitute removed a developer challenge mechanism to preserve district discretion over construction standards. HB 1633 would require groundwater conservation districts to consider registered exempt wells when reviewing or amending permits, and testimony from landowners, district representatives, and advocacy groups largely supported the bill as a way to protect domestic and livestock wells from drawdown caused by large export projects. HB 1689 would clarify that export fee revenues may be used for well operability, alternative water supplies, and aquifer monitoring, including through interlocal cooperation, and HB 3058 would give the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District authority to use export fees for county road improvements and environmental programs tied to well inspection and groundwater management. HB 2018 would clarify that the Texas Farm and Ranchland Conservation Program is intended to purchase conservation easements only on working agricultural lands, with support from cattle raisers and Farm Bureau representatives. The committee also considered HB 29, which would require large water systems to validate water loss audits and submit mitigation plans; a committee substitute removed the water-loss threshold and adjusted the timeline for more detailed validation. Public testimony on the bills was generally supportive, with several witnesses describing declining well levels, road damage from export projects, and the need to preserve agricultural land and local water supplies. The committee adopted committee substitutes and voted favorably on HB 29, HB 1689, HB 2018, SB 612, and SB 3058, recommending several of them for the local and uncontested calendar; HB 1633 was left pending awaiting a committee substitute.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 5th, 2025

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Many times, the city or the developer will negotiate with the water district, and the water district
  • Most of the water districts and irrigation districts cooperate, but some do not.
  • conservation district (GCD) must consider when reviewing a permit application for water use.
  • Plan currently in Gonzales County by the Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation District is inadequate
  • for all the water that's leaving our county.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • So our water districts, I think, are doing a good job at conservation, at making sure that we're not
  • Our water districts have invested a lot of money in conservation and preservation.
  • And my district gets some water from a neighboring district.
  • Tarrant Regional Water District alone saves 26 billion gallons of water each year through conservation
  • for the water district.
Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard House Bill 2109, which would remove certain long-proposed reservoir projects from the state water plan after 50 years without progress. Chairman Van Deaver and many landowners, local officials, timber interests, and conservation advocates testified in support, arguing that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir has burdened Northeast Texas landowners for decades with the threat of eminent domain, depressed property values, and uncertainty over homes, farms, ranches, schools, churches, and cemeteries. Supporters also said the project would flood tens of thousands of acres, require extensive mitigation, harm timber and agriculture, and that Texas now has better alternatives such as conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and desalination. Several members expressed sympathy for the affected families and questioned whether a project could remain in the plan indefinitely without progress. Opposition came from North Texas water interests, including the North Texas Commission, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Texas Water Association, who argued that the bill would interfere with the state’s long-term water planning process and remove needed future supply options for a fast-growing region. They said Region C faces major projected shortages by 2070, that conservation and reuse have already delayed the need for new supplies, and that reservoirs remain one tool in the state’s water-planning toolbox. TWDB staff explained the existing inter-regional conflict process and noted that the substitute would affect several unique reservoir sites, not just Marvin Nichols. After testimony, Chairman Van Deaver closed by urging passage of the bill, but the committee withdrew the substitute and left HB 2109 pending. The committee then took up House Bill 5188, a brackish groundwater bill. The author said the bill would reduce permitting burdens for wells in designated brackish groundwater production zones, and the committee substitute added requirements on monitoring, groundwater-rights ownership, and allocation of pumpage limits while removing some exclusions and export-fee provisions. Texas Wildlife Association testified against the bill, warning that the exemptions could weaken groundwater conservation districts’ ability to protect freshwater resources and surface-owner rights. San Antonio Water System testified in favor, saying brackish groundwater is a key future supply and that the substitute would help speed development of desalination and brackish projects. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts testified neutrally but raised concerns about reduced district oversight, especially around injection-well exclusions and the loss of export fees, and said discussions on the bill were ongoing.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • So our water districts, I think, are doing a good job at conservation, at making sure that we're not
  • Our water districts are investing a lot of money in conservation and preservation.
  • that's water needy, and my district gets some water from a neighboring district. ...And it's incredibly
  • And I will say, we're just now completing a multi-million dollar, 50-year water plan for the water district
  • Groundwater Conservation District rules.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • control and improvement district to be known as Montgomery County water control and improvement Improvement
  • Groundwater Conservation District into the Stark County Drainage District and renaming the combined
  • entity. as the Starr County Drainage and Groundwater Conservation District.
  • This proposes a creation of a water control Improvement District to be known as Fort Bend County Water
  • Under current law, the North Texas ground water conservation district issues permits for groundwater
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources May 21st, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm the general manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
  • Uh, our district, it occurs in the four counties immediately west of the DFW metroplex.
  • In our district, we've seen more private water wells drilled than anywhere else in the state over the
  • districts or other soil and water type districts, uh, governmental entities of the state.
  • support essential infrastructure tied to groundwater conservation and district operations.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources May 21st, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm the General Manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
  • Our district occurs in the four counties. Immediately west of the DFW Metroplex.
  • In our district, we've seen more private water wells drilled than anywhere else in the state.
  • districts or other soil and water. ...water-type districts, governmental entities of the state.
  • a renewable agreement with the two counties in the Groundwater Conservation District to make the necessary
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources May 7th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • HB 5671 allows the Johnson County Special Utility District to issue bonds.
  • In 2004, Johnson County, as a rural water corporation, became a special utility district to save money
  • The Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District consists of four counties.
  • Underground Water Conservation District.
  • Underground Water Conservation District.
Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources May 14th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senate Bill 1624 would allow for water rights to be held in the trust for the purpose of water conservation
  • Code and give the district more standard groundwater conservation district authority.
  • We have four operating groundwater districts in our county, and this is the only groundwater district
  • You know, the amount of water, the new water that we do generate for our cities and counties and, uh,
  • Um Wimberley Water Supply Corporation supports a healthy economic groundwater conservation district.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources May 14th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senate Bill 1624 would allow for water rights to be held in the trust for the purpose of water conservation
  • County and by the Barton Springs Groundwater District.
  • We have four operating groundwater districts in our county, and this is the only groundwater district
  • Wimberley Water Supply Corporation supports a healthy economic groundwater conservation district.
  • There was a proposal to export water from Western Hays County.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • existing law provides, is limited to properties that do not have city ownership. ...wastewater and water
  • clarifying that tax exemptions granted to housing authorities do not apply to taxes imposed by a district
  • that provides water, sewer, or drainage services to a development, unless the housing authorities entered
  • into an agreement with the district to make payments to the district in lieu of taxes. ...allows housing
  • This committee substitute for Senate Bill 2520 provides a two-year comparison for the school district
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part I) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • in the county for the administration of the fire code, and specify that emergency service districts
  • Underground Water Conservation District.
  • County Underground Water Conservation District.
  • The Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District's ability to effectively monitor and manage
  • Ty Embry here on behalf of the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District for the bill.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and limited public testimony to two minutes per person. The committee heard Senate Bill 628 by Senator Zaffirini, which would clarify that counties may enter interlocal agreements with emergency service districts to administer and enforce county fire codes, including for multi-county ESDs in the committee substitute. Witnesses from Travis County ESD-11, the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office, and a member of the public supported the bill as a way to reduce duplication, costs, and jurisdictional confusion. Public testimony was closed and the committee substitute was left pending. The committee then heard several housing-related bills. Senate Bill 208 by Senator West would create a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund to provide zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders for workforce housing; Habitat for Humanity representatives, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, and housing advocates supported it as a way to finance infrastructure and land development for affordable homes. Senate Bill 2835 by Senator Johnson would allow cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings for small-scale, multi-story housing; supporters said the design is safe and could expand housing supply, while the Texas APA expressed qualified opposition over code-process concerns and fire-safety questions. Both bills were left pending after testimony. Additional bills heard included SB 1042 updating the Kimble County Hospital District’s enabling law; SB 1708, a committee substitute protecting familial property divisions from platting requirements; SB 2778 raising the ESD expenditure threshold requiring board approval from $2,000 to up to $50,000; SB 2608 expanding LIHTC eligibility for certain public housing projects; SB 3044 adding board representation for Marfa and Presidio on the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District and adjusting an exemption; SB 2367 extending park board authority to Waller County; SB 2523 clarifying ETJ reduction procedures and owner opt-out rights; SB 2521 requiring death-certificate reporting to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead exemption issues; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in larger cities. In each case, the bills were laid out, testimony was taken, and the measures were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until 15 to 30 minutes after adjournment.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part II) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • an agreement with the district to make payments to the district in lieu of taxation.
  • Urban counties...
  • I represent Parker County Emergency Services District 1 and the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, and I
  • I am incredibly, incredibly proud of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2.
  • They are an ISO Class 1... ...of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government considered and voted on several bills, adopting committee substitutes on Senate Bills 1237, 1708, 1844, 1454, 2520, and 2541. In each case, the committee substitute was explained as narrowing or clarifying the filed bill, and the committee voted to report the substitute version to the full Senate, usually with a recommendation that the filed bill not pass. The committee also recommended each of those measures for the local and uncontested calendar. SB 1237 concerned property tax exemption eligibility for charitable organizations; SB 1844 addressed annexation and disannexation limits tied to city services; SB 1454 clarified housing authority tax exemptions and agreements with districts; SB 2520 dealt with a school district tax ceiling comparison; and SB 2541 reduced the unused increment period from three years to two years. The committee then heard extensive testimony on SB 2354, which would allow developers to hire qualified third-party professionals for plat review, permit review, and inspections if local governments are delayed. Supporters included affordable housing providers, builders, Pew Charitable Trusts, housing advocates, and legal groups, who said the bill would reduce permitting delays, lower costs, and help housing production. A Corpus Christi representative testified as neutral, asking for amendments to preserve city final inspection authority, document sharing, and floodplain enforcement. Urban counties opposed the bill as written, arguing it removed too much local oversight, though they acknowledged work on a committee substitute. SB 2354 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2703, which would clarify that condominiums are not subdivisions for local platting purposes. Builders and a land use attorney supported the bill, saying it would reduce confusion and duplicative regulation; the bill was left pending. SB 777, dealing with firefighter collective bargaining and impasse procedures, drew support from Austin and Texarkana firefighter representatives and the City of Austin, who said the committee substitute reflected stakeholder agreement and preserved voter-approved local procedures; it was left pending. SB 2965, concerning annexation and emergency service district response obligations, drew support from ESD and fire association witnesses who said it would prevent service gaps after annexation, and opposition from local officials who argued it gave unelected ESD boards too much power and lacked neutral review; it was also left pending. The committee then recessed subject to call of the chair.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Local Government (Part I) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • in the county for the administration of the fire code, and specify that emergency service districts
  • Underground Water Conservation District.
  • Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District.
  • The Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District's ability to effectively monitor and manage
  • Ty Embry here on behalf of the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District for the bill.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum at the start, adopted a two-minute limit for public testimony, and heard a series of housing, local government, fire code, and district-governance bills. Several measures were laid out with committee substitutes, including SB 628 on county fire code administration through interlocal agreements with emergency service districts; SB 208 creating a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund for zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders; SB 2835 allowing cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in certain cities. Other bills addressed ESD spending thresholds (SB 2778), hospital district updates (SB 1042), subdivision/platting issues (SB 1708), public housing tax credit eligibility (SB 2608), groundwater district representation for Marfa and Presidio (SB 3044), park board authority in Waller County (SB 2367), ETJ removal procedures (SB 2523), and reporting death certificates to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead issues (SB 2521). Testimony was largely supportive on the housing bills. Supporters of SB 208, including Habitat for Humanity affiliates, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, Texans for Housing, and an educator, said the revolving fund would help nonprofit builders finance land, infrastructure, and development costs for affordable homes, especially for families earning 30% to 80% of area median income. SB 2835 drew support from architects, planners, and housing advocates who argued that single-stair buildings can be safe, more efficient, and better suited to missing-middle housing, though the Texas APA registered qualified opposition, saying the proposal bypasses the usual code-development process and may not be sufficiently studied. SB 2477 also received broad support from housing groups and policy organizations, who said office conversions could help address vacancy and housing shortages, though Corpus Christi raised a concern about fee recovery and local cost reimbursement. The committee also heard support for SB 628 from a county fire marshal and an ESD representative, who said the bill would reduce duplicate fire-code enforcement and costs. SB 2778 was backed by a Bexar County ESD fire chief, who said the current $2,000 expenditure approval threshold is outdated and slows emergency purchases and repairs. SB 2608 was supported by the El Paso housing authority, which said adding certain Section 8 projects to the at-risk LIHTC set-aside would help renovate aging subsidized housing. SB 3044 was presented as a way to give Marfa and Presidio representation on the groundwater district board while preserving permitting authority. Each bill heard public testimony was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee recessed to reconvene after the Senate adjourns.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources Apr 9th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Texas law grants water conservation districts considerable authority over the owners of water rights.
  • Tic Groundwater Conservation District is a groundwater district completely contained within Jackson County
  • Water District.
  • We have seen the success of the Upper Trinity Regional Water District in Denton County.
  • We wanted to get together to form a water district to bring surface water into Wise County.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 9th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • This law grants water conservation districts considerable authority over the owners of water rights.
  • Sure at tie Embree here on behalf of Middle Trinity GCD clear water underground Water Conservation District
  • Water Conservation District, as well as the General Manager of the Victoria County Calhoun County and
  • We wanted to get together to form a water district to bring surface water into Washington. wise county
  • We can make county water conservation authority, but... I agree.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 9th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Delaware County Drainage District number one.
  • Water rights owners aren't assessed by utility districts for water and waste water. service.
  • Water conservation is a low-cost, high-reward, and simple way to reduce water use. use.
  • Water conservation is a key, and as a county, we've taken some pretty dramatic steps to adopt, to use
  • Water conservation is a big deal.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 2nd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Agricultural Water Conservation Fund, expanding its scope to include flood control and agricultural
  • Agricultural Water Conservation Fund, expanding its scope to include flood control and agricultural
  • water conservation projects, among others.
  • Our members include river authorities, municipalities, all types of water districts, including flood,
  • The Harris County Flood Control District was created by the Legislature in 1937 with a clear mission.