HCR121 - Urging the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to take immediate and decisive action to protect the Edwards Aquifer.

  89R20475 KSM-F     By: Dorazio H.C.R. No. 121       CONCURRENT RESOLUTION          WHEREAS, The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific and   pristine artesian aquifers in the world, and it is a vital source of   clean and sustainable groundwater for millions of Texans; and          WHEREAS, The aquifer covers approximately 4,350 square miles   of South Central Texas, and for generations, residents and   policymakers in the region have worked to preserve and responsibly   manage this invaluable natural resource, which supplies the region   with essential water for agricultural, industrial, recreational,   and domestic use; the aquifer is also the primary sustainable   source of clean drinking water for 1.7 million Texans, including   residents of San Antonio, America's seventh largest city; and          WHEREAS, A karst geological system with extremely high   porosity and permeability, the Edwards Aquifer allows for rapid   infiltration of surface water through an extensive network of   conduits, fractures, and faults; this makes it highly susceptible   to irreversible contamination from wastewater discharge and other   emerging contaminants that pose severe and potentially fatal health   risks to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems; and          WHEREAS, The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is the   primary regulatory body responsible for ensuring that no   development within the region compromises the purity and safety of   the aquifer; the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, created by the   TCEQ, was designed to establish and enforce best management   practices that prevent contaminants from reaching the Edwards   Aquifer during and after construction activities; and          WHEREAS, A study by the Southwest Research Institute, funded   through the city of San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan,   found that any type of wastewater system releasing treated effluent   in the Helotes Creek watershed, such as the proposed Guajolote   Ranch wastewater disposal plan in Bexar County, would   "significantly degrade the watershed and the quality of water   recharging the Edwards Aquifer"; and          WHEREAS, The Edwards Aquifer is an irreplaceable state   treasure, requiring immediate and long-term protection, and   elected officials at every level, along with non-elected regulatory   bodies, should advocate for and implement policies and practices   that safeguard the quality and sustainability of one of the most   valuable natural resources in Texas; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas   hereby urges the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to take   immediate and decisive action to protect the Edwards Aquifer and   its recharge zones and contributing zones from irreversible   contamination from treated effluents discharged by any wastewater   systems or toxic substances released through construction or other   activities; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an   official copy of this resolution to the commissioners of the Texas   Commission on Environmental Quality.