The bill, H.B. No. 1618, amends Section 27.051(i) of the Water Code to clarify the regulations surrounding injection wells that intersect with the Edwards Aquifer. It specifies that, while the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) generally cannot authorize injection wells that transect the Edwards Aquifer, there are exceptions. The new legal language allows for the injection of groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer, storm water, flood water, or groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves in karst areas, and specifically includes provisions for aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects. These ASR projects must involve an injection well that transects the Edwards Aquifer in Williamson County, east of Interstate Highway 35, for the purpose of injecting water into a geologic formation beneath the Edwards Aquifer.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the TCEQ adopt rules to implement these changes by March 1, 2026. The act will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds majority vote from both houses of the legislature; otherwise, it will become effective on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Water Code 27.051 (Water Code 27)
House Committee Report: Water Code 27.051 (Water Code 27)