Sec. 341.0358. PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS. (a) In this section:
(2) "Regulatory authority" has the meaning assigned by Section 13.002, Water Code.
(3) "Residential area" means:
(A) an area designated as a residential zoning district by a governing ordinance or code or an area in which the principal land use is for private residences;
(B) a subdivision for which a plat is recorded in the real property records of the county and that contains or is bounded by public streets or parts of public streets that are abutted by residential property occupying at least 75 percent of the front footage along the block face; or
(C) a subdivision a majority of the lots of which are subject to deed restrictions limiting the lots to residential use.
(1-a) "Public utility" has the meaning assigned by Section 13.002, Water Code.
(1) "Industrial district" has the meaning assigned by Section 42.044, Local Government Code, and includes an area that is designated by the governing body of a municipality as a zoned industrial area.
(b) The regulatory authority for a public utility shall by rule or ordinance adopt standards for installing fire hydrants and maintaining sufficient water pressure for service to fire hydrants adequate to protect public safety in residential areas in a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more.
(c) The commission shall assess residential areas in a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more to ensure that:
(1) the regulatory authority for the area has adopted the standards required by this section; and
(2) all public utilities serving the residential area are complying with the standards required by this section.
(d) The commission shall require a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more and acting as a regulatory authority to make appropriate revisions to standards the commission considers to be inadequate within a reasonable time established by the commission.
(e) The commission shall require a public utility in violation of a standard required under this section and established by the commission or by a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more and acting as a regulatory authority to comply with the standard within a reasonable time established by the commission.
(f) This section does not limit the authority of a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more and acting as a regulatory authority to prohibit a public utility in violation of a standard established by the municipality from recovering through the public utility's rates a penalty or fine incurred for a violation of a standard.
(g) This section also applies to:
(1) a municipality with a population of more than 36,000 and less than 41,000 located in two counties, one of which is a county with a population of more than 1.8 million;
(2) a municipality, including any industrial district within the municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction, with a population of more than 7,000 and less than 30,000 located in a county with a population of more than 155,000 and less than 180,000; and
(3) a municipality, including any industrial district within the municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction, with a population of more than 11,000 and less than 18,000 located in a county with a population of more than 125,000 and less than 230,000.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 1391), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Renumbered from Health and Safety Code, Section 341.0357 by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 27.001(54), eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 122 (H.B. 3661), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 290 (H.B. 1814), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 606 (S.B. 1086), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 606 (S.B. 1086), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.
Section: Previous 341.0352 341.0353 341.0354 341.0355 341.0356 341.0357 341.03571 341.0358 341.03585 341.0359 341.036 341.037 341.038 341.039 341.040 NextLast modified: September 28, 2016