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SB 1190

Relating to water losses reported by certain municipally owned utilities to the Texas Water Development Board; authorizing administrative penalties.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Charles Perry

SB 1190 mandates Texas municipal water utilities report losses to state board and face administrative penalties for non-compliance, improving water conservation accountability.

Left pending in committee
#citygovernment--utilities(i0068) #environmentalquality #texascommissionon(v0334) #utilities--water&sewer(i0002) #waterdevelopmentboard #texas(v2481) #water--conservation(i097l) #water--general(i0885)
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Bill Summary · SB 1190

Legislative bill overview

SB 1190 requires certain municipally owned water utilities in Texas to report water losses to the Texas Water Development Board and establishes administrative penalties for non-compliance. The bill targets utilities that don't currently have mandatory reporting requirements, creating accountability mechanisms for water loss documentation.

Why is this important

Water loss in municipal systems (often through leaks and aging infrastructure) represents significant waste of a precious resource in Texas, particularly during droughts. Mandatory reporting and penalties create incentives for utilities to identify, measure, and reduce losses while providing the state with better data for water resource planning and conservation efforts.

Potential points of contention

  • Reporting burden and costs: Smaller municipalities may argue that compliance requires expensive infrastructure assessment and monitoring systems they cannot afford
  • Penalty structure fairness: Questions about whether penalties should vary by utility size, existing infrastructure age, or whether one-size-fits-all penalties disproportionately hurt rural/small communities
  • State vs. local control: Some local officials may resist state-level mandates on utility operations and question whether TWDB oversight overrides municipal autonomy

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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