Relating to groundwater requirements for municipal and county approval of subdivision plats and the powers and duties of groundwater conservation districts.
Summary
HB 5213 would add new groundwater-related requirements to subdivision plat approvals by cities and counties when the proposed subdivision would rely on groundwater beneath the land. For those plats, the applicant would have to attach a certification prepared by a licensed engineer or geoscientist stating that adequate groundwater is available, including an estimate of groundwater drawdown and, when data is available, an assessment of cumulative impacts from existing or planned wells and projected pumping from nearby aquifers. The bill also requires the applicant to submit that statement to any groundwater conservation district with territory in the subdivision area.
The bill expands the role of groundwater conservation districts in local plat review. A district receiving the statement could contest approval of the plat and provide the municipal authority or commissioners court with information challenging the groundwater availability findings. In addition, the bill updates Water Code definitions and district planning standards to incorporate concepts such as “modeled sustainable groundwater” and “total estimated recoverable storage,” and it directs districts to consider those measures, along with environmental, subsidence, socioeconomic, and property-rights impacts, when adopting desired future conditions and issuing permits. The bill would apply only to plat applications filed on or after September 1, 2025.
Impact
HB 5213 would amend the Local Government Code and Water Code to make groundwater availability a more explicit factor in subdivision plat approval for both municipal and county jurisdictions. It would also strengthen the informational and advisory role of groundwater conservation districts in local land-use decisions and require districts to incorporate additional science-based groundwater metrics into planning and permitting. The bill would affect developers, landowners, local governments, engineers, geoscientists, and groundwater conservation districts, and it would apply prospectively to plats filed after the effective date.
Sentiment
The available context suggests a policy-focused, technical bill with no recorded floor debate or vote history in the materials provided. The bill’s structure indicates support for more rigorous groundwater analysis and district involvement in subdivision approvals, reflecting a conservation-oriented approach to water management. Because there are no committee transcripts or votes included, there is no documented public split or recorded opposition in the provided record.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the added burden on subdivision applicants and local approving authorities versus the bill’s goal of protecting groundwater resources. Developers and property owners may view the new certification, notice, and district-review requirements as additional cost, delay, and uncertainty in the platting process. Groundwater conservation districts and environmental interests are likely to support the bill’s emphasis on sustainable pumping, cumulative impacts, and long-term aquifer management, while local governments may be concerned about how much weight district objections should carry in plat decisions.
Relating to the powers, duties, and governance of the Starr County Drainage District, the change of the name of the Starr County Drainage District to the Starr County Drainage and Groundwater Conservation District, the dissolution of the Starr County Groundwater Conservation District, and the transfer of the assets and liabilities of the Starr County Groundwater Conservation District to the Starr County Drainage and Groundwater Conservation District; authorizing the imposition of a tax.
Relating to the powers, duties, and governance of the Starr County Drainage District, changing the name of the Starr County Drainage District to the Starr County Drainage and Groundwater Conservation District, and the dissolution and transfer of the Starr County Groundwater Conservation District to the Starr County Drainage and Groundwater Conservation District; authorizing the imposition of a tax.