Having passed the Texas Senate and the House, Senate Bill 1253 - which advocates say will put the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District on par with the rest of conservation districts in Texas - is now on Governor Abbott’s desk.
If signed by Abbott, the bill would give the HTGCD the same standard aquifer management authority as most other groundwater conservation districts in Texas.
It would also give the HTGCD a sustainable funding source by authorizing them to assess a groundwater production fee of 30 cents per 1,000 gallons on large municipal, commercial and industrial wells.
The fees wouldn’t apply to surface water utilities, such as public drainage systems, or to private domestic or ag- ricultural wells.
It would also allow the district to give credits to utilities who invest in water reuse, conservation or efficiency projects. The credits would be applied to service connection fees.
