H.B. No. 1618 amends the Water Code to allow for specific aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects that intersect with the Edwards Aquifer, particularly in Williamson County east of Interstate Highway 35. The bill clarifies that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) may authorize injection wells that meet certain criteria, including the injection of groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer, stormwater, floodwater, or groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves in karst areas. Notably, the bill introduces provisions for ASR projects that include an ASR injection well, as defined under Section 27.151, which can inject 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 take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Water Code 27.051 (Water Code 27)