Edwards Aquifer Authority discusses Senate Bill 863 on regional growth and utility regulation

The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs convened on April 7, 2025, to discuss two significant pieces of legislation aimed at addressing water management challenges in Texas.

The first bill, Senate Bill 863, presented by Roland Ruiz, General Manager of the Edwards Aquifer Authority, seeks to accommodate growth in the region by addressing the complexities surrounding Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) holders. Ruiz explained that some public utilities currently face legal challenges due to overlapping boundaries with the Edwards Aquifer Authority. The bill aims to prevent these utilities from having to reengineer their infrastructure to comply with existing laws, while ensuring that their service areas remain unchanged. Ruiz confirmed that the bill would not allow for expansion of CCNs and that the annual withdrawal cap from the aquifer would remain intact.

The second bill, Senate Bill 1190, introduced by Chairman Perry, focuses on mitigating water loss in large municipal water systems. The bill mandates that water systems serving 150,000 or more customers validate their water loss and submit mitigation reports if losses exceed established thresholds. It also imposes administrative penalties for systems that fail to comply after three consecutive years of excessive losses. Public testimony highlighted the urgency of this issue, with landowners and water advocates expressing concerns over significant municipal water losses that could otherwise supply large cities. Testimonies emphasized the need for timely corrective plans and accountability for municipalities that do not participate in the mitigation efforts.

The committee concluded the meeting with Senate Bill 863 left pending for further consideration, while discussions on Senate Bill 1190 underscored the critical need for effective water management strategies in Texas. The outcomes of these bills could have lasting implications for water conservation and infrastructure development in the state.