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New law bars TCEQ wastewater permits in Devil's River watershed; agency to add rule to memorialize change
Summary
TCEQ said it is already implementing a statute that prohibits issuing domestic or industrial wastewater discharge permits in the Devil's River watershed within Val Verde County for applications received on or after Sept. 1, 2025 and plans a rule to add a subchapter to 30 TAC chapter 11 by year-end 2026.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality told advisory-group attendees that it is implementing a new statutory prohibition on issuing domestic or industrial wastewater discharge permits in the Devil's River watershed in Val Verde County.
"That bill added a new section in chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code that essentially prohibits TCEQ from issuing a domestic or industrial wastewater discharge permit anywhere in the Devil's River watershed in West Texas, anywhere within Val Verde County," the presenter said. "We are already implementing this legislation in our permitting program for applications that were received on or after 09/01/2025."
Although rulemaking is not required by the statute, staff said the agency plans to memorialize the change by adding a subchapter to 30 TAC chapter 11 (watershed protection rules) with a goal of completing that rulemaking by the end of calendar year 2026.
Staff invited questions but had no requests for immediate clarification; they also noted the topic may return to future meetings as permitting and implementation details evolve.
