S.B. No. 1625 amends the Health and Safety Code to enhance the reporting requirements for public water systems regarding security incidents. The bill mandates that owners or operators of public water supply and wastewater systems maintain internal procedures to immediately notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) of specific events that could impact the safety and adequacy of drinking water. These events include unauthorized entries, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and unplanned conditions leading to public water supply outages. Notably, the bill introduces a new category of reporting for security incidents, which encompasses unauthorized disclosures of sensitive personal information, ransomware attacks, unauthorized attempts to access proprietary information, and disruptions to the operation of the systems.

Additionally, the bill specifies that the TCEQ will collaborate with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to administer these notification requirements and establish procedures for reporting security incidents to the Department of Information Resources. The legislation clarifies that nonindustrial public water supply systems are not required to report weather alerts or warnings issued by relevant agencies. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 341.033 (Health and Safety Code 341)
Senate Committee Report: Health and Safety Code 341.033 (Health and Safety Code 341)