HB516 - Relating to notice of a water service interruption provided by public water systems in unincorporated areas of certain counties.

  89R71 LRM-F     By: Swanson H.B. No. 516       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to notice of a water service interruption provided by   public water systems in unincorporated areas of certain counties.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 341, Health and Safety   Code, is amended by adding Section 341.03561 to read as follows:           Sec.   341.03561.     REQUIRED NOTICE OF WATER SERVICE   INTERRUPTION PROVIDED BY CERTAIN PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS TO FIRE   DEPARTMENTS. (a)   In this section:                 (1)     "Fire department" has the meaning assigned by   Section 795.001.                 (2)     "Hydrant" has the meaning assigned by Section   341.03571.                 (3)     "Public safety answering point" has the meaning   assigned by Section 772.001.                 (4)     "Regulatory authority" means the Texas Commission   on Environmental Quality or the Public Utility Commission of Texas.           (b)     This section applies only to a public water system   located in the unincorporated area of a county that contains a   municipality in which the governing body of the municipality or   another regulatory authority has adopted standards to require the   installation and maintenance of a hydrant in accordance with   Section 341.0358, 341.03585, or 341.0359.           (c)     The regulatory authority of a public water system to   which this section applies shall by rule require the public water   system to provide to each fire department providing fire   suppression services in the area where the hydrant is located   notice of a water service interruption that renders the hydrant   temporarily unavailable for use in a fire emergency.   The notice   must be provided:                 (1)     for a planned water service interruption, before   the interruption begins; and                 (2)     for an unplanned water service interruption of   three hours or more, as soon as practicable but not later than 24   hours from the time the authority is first notified or otherwise   becomes aware of the interruption.           (d)     A public water system to which this section applies   shall provide to each fire department notified of a water service   interruption under Subsection (c) notice of the water service's   resumption not later than two hours after the time the water service   is resumed.           (e)     For purposes of this section, a hydrant unavailable for   pumping directly from the hydrant is unavailable for use in a fire   emergency.           (f)     For purposes of providing the required notices under   Subsections (c) and (d), the regulatory authority of a public water   system may approve the use of:                 (1)     a dynamic information database described by   Section 418.192, Government Code; and                 (2)     the public water system's Internet website or a   social media platform, as defined by Section 120.001, Business &   Commerce Code, that allows fire departments to subscribe to or   otherwise receive notices from the website or platform.           (g)     The regulatory authority of a public water system may   delegate the system's duty to provide notice under Subsection (c)   or (d) to a public safety answering point that relays information to   fire departments providing fire suppression services in the area   where the affected hydrant is located.   A public safety answering   point delegated the duty to provide notice under Subsection (c) or   (d) must provide that notice in accordance with the applicable time   for notice under those subsections.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.