Bill Text: TX HB29 | 2013 | 83rd Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to research on and the treatment of saline water.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-07-10 - Referred to Natural Resources [HB29 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB29-Introduced.html
| By: Callegari | H.B. No. 29 | |
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| relating to research on and the treatment of saline water. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 341.001, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Subdivisions (2-a) and (6-a) to read as follows: | ||
| (2-a) "Desalination facility" means a facility used | ||
| for the treatment of saline water to remove dissolved mineral salts | ||
| and other dissolved solids. | ||
| (6-a) "Saline water" means water that contains a total | ||
| dissolved solids concentration of more than 1,000 milligrams per | ||
| liter. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 341, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 341.0361 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 341.0361. DESALINATION OF WATER FOR DRINKING WATER. | ||
| (a) This section applies only to a desalination facility that is | ||
| intended to produce water for the public drinking water supply. | ||
| This section does not apply to a desalination facility used to | ||
| produce nonpotable water. | ||
| (b) The commission shall adopt rules to: | ||
| (1) allow water treated by a desalination facility to | ||
| be used as public drinking water; and | ||
| (2) ensure that water treated by a desalination | ||
| facility meets the requirements of Section 341.031 and rules | ||
| adopted under that section. | ||
| (c) A person may not begin construction of a desalination | ||
| facility unless the commission approves in writing the plans and | ||
| specifications for the facility. | ||
| (d) A person may not begin construction of a desalination | ||
| facility that treats saline water for the purpose of removing | ||
| primary or secondary drinking water contaminants unless the | ||
| commission approves in writing a report containing: | ||
| (1) a computer model acceptable to the commission; | ||
| (2) a pilot study with a minimum 40-day run duration | ||
| without treatment intervention to meet federal and state safe | ||
| drinking water standards; | ||
| (3) data from a similar system installed at another | ||
| saline water desalination facility that treats source water of a | ||
| similar or lower quality; or | ||
| (4) a full-scale verification study with a minimum | ||
| 40-day run duration without treatment intervention to meet federal | ||
| and state safe drinking water standards. | ||
| (e) Not later than the 100th day after the date the | ||
| commission receives the report for a proposed desalination | ||
| facility, the commission shall review the report and issue an | ||
| exception response letter that may contain conditions for approval. | ||
| (f) Not later than the 60th day after the date the | ||
| commission receives the plans and specifications for a proposed | ||
| desalination facility, the commission shall review the plans and | ||
| specifications and issue a response letter that may contain | ||
| conditions for approval. | ||
| (g) A person violates this section if the person fails to | ||
| meet a condition for approval in a letter issued to the person under | ||
| Subsection (e) or (f). | ||
| SECTION 3. Chapter 111, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER J. TEXAS CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE | ||
| DESALINATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
| Sec. 111.131. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Boards" means the board of regents of the | ||
| University of Houston System and the board of regents of The | ||
| University of Texas System. | ||
| (2) "Center" means the Texas Center for Innovative | ||
| Desalination Technology established under this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 111.132. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The Texas Center for | ||
| Innovative Desalination Technology is established as a partnership | ||
| between the University of Houston, The University of Texas at | ||
| Brownsville, and The University of Texas at El Paso. | ||
| (b) The organization, control, and management of the center | ||
| are vested in the boards, and the respective institutions shall | ||
| execute a memorandum of understanding for that purpose. | ||
| (c) The center shall be hosted by the University of | ||
| Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, The University of Texas at | ||
| Brownsville's College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, and | ||
| The University of Texas at El Paso's Center for Inland Desalination | ||
| Systems. Participation in the center's activities shall be open to | ||
| any faculty or staff member of each host university who is an active | ||
| researcher in the field of water desalination, engineering, | ||
| hydrology, biology, water supply development, or energy | ||
| efficiency, or in another relevant field as determined by the | ||
| boards. | ||
| Sec. 111.133. PURPOSE. The center is created to: | ||
| (1) promote interdisciplinary research, education, | ||
| and training for the development of state-of-the-art products, | ||
| materials, systems, and technologies designed for the desalination | ||
| of seawater from the Gulf of Mexico and brackish water within | ||
| surface and groundwater resources throughout the state; and | ||
| (2) develop cost-effective, energy-efficient, and | ||
| environmentally sound water desalination, brine disposal, and | ||
| water conveyance technologies that can enhance the potential for | ||
| desalinated water to contribute toward the state's long-term water | ||
| portfolio. | ||
| Sec. 111.134. POWERS AND DUTIES. The center shall: | ||
| (1) collaborate with appropriate international, | ||
| federal, state, and local agencies and private business or | ||
| nonprofit entities as necessary to develop innovative desalination | ||
| technologies; | ||
| (2) research and develop innovative seawater and | ||
| brackish water desalination technologies, including pretreatment | ||
| technologies and improvements, that are energy efficient and cost | ||
| effective, minimize environmental impacts, and offer long-term | ||
| water supply solutions for the state; | ||
| (3) research and develop brine disposal and reuse | ||
| methods and technologies; | ||
| (4) research and develop water conveyance systems and | ||
| technologies that may be used to transport desalinated water to | ||
| target use populations; | ||
| (5) develop test facilities for evaluating the | ||
| performance of new products, materials, or techniques; | ||
| (6) develop specifications and standards for products | ||
| used for desalinating water, conveying water, and disposing of | ||
| brine; | ||
| (7) provide public information, education, and | ||
| outreach regarding desalination technologies and appropriate uses | ||
| and conservation methods for desalinated water; and | ||
| (8) provide data, recommendations, and any other | ||
| information necessary relating to desalination for local, | ||
| regional, or statewide water planning programs and processes. | ||
| Sec. 111.135. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES. The | ||
| University of Houston, The University of Texas at Brownsville, and | ||
| The University of Texas at El Paso shall encourage public and | ||
| private entities to participate in or support the operation of the | ||
| center and may enter into an agreement with any public or private | ||
| entity for that purpose. An agreement may allow the center to | ||
| provide information, services, or other assistance to an entity in | ||
| exchange for the entity's participation or support. | ||
| Sec. 111.136. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The boards may solicit, | ||
| accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private | ||
| source for the purposes of the center. | ||
| Sec. 111.137. PERSONNEL. The boards may employ personnel | ||
| for the center as necessary. | ||
| Sec. 111.138. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires | ||
| September 1, 2023. | ||
| SECTION 4. 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislative session. | ||
