SB 2497: bill letting the state order filters on public water wells

Caption

relating to the installation of a filtration system by certain public drinking water supply systems.

Summary

Well-fed drinking water systems can be ordered to filter.

The bill lets the state environmental commission order a public drinking water system that pulls from a well to install a filtration system on that well. The order is allowed only if the commission already recommended filtration and the system either failed to maintain the well under commission rules or drew more than one complaint about that source in the past year. Water systems that ignore a filtration recommendation can now be made to comply by order starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Ryan Guillen (R) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 19, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Natural Resources committee 10-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2497 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the installation of a filtration system by certain public drinking water supply systems.

WHAT IT DOES

Well-fed drinking water systems can be ordered to filter.

The bill lets the state environmental commission order a public drinking water system that pulls from a well to install a filtration system on that well. The order is allowed only if the commission already recommended filtration and the system either failed to maintain the well under commission rules or drew more than one complaint about that source in the past year. Water systems that ignore a filtration recommendation can now be made to comply by order starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
May 12, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 12, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 12, 2025Testimony taken in committee
May 12, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 14, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 14, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 15, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 19, 2025Co-author authorized
May 19, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Read 2nd time
May 19, 2025Amendment(s) offered FA1 Zaffirini
May 19, 2025Amended
May 19, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 19, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Read 3rd time
May 19, 2025Passed
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Reported engrossed
May 20, 2025Received from the Senate
May 21, 2025Read first time
May 21, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
May 22, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 22, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 24, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 24, 2025Committee report distributed
May 24, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 25, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 27, 2025Placed on General State Calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 26 yea · 5 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 19, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Judith Zaffirini

Donors

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000Killam Development Ltd.$73K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000.00

Killam Development Ltd.$72,700.00

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $62,700.00
Total: $72,700.00

advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $62,700.00
Total: $72,700.00

advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Votes4

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2497 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

CSSB 2497 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Zaffirini moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2497 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 2497, Relating to the installation of a filtration system by certain public drinking water supply systems. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses8

For: 4
Against: 1
On: 3

Names

For

Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
Self3 registrations

Against

Texas Rural Water Association1 registration

On

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality3 registrations

Sources

8 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/27/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14

Companion

HB 5208 by Guillen (identical)

Subjects

Environment--Water

Utilities--Water & Sewer

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 164 words

89R16085 ANG-D

By: Zaffirini
S.B. No. 2497

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the installation of a filtration system by certain

public drinking water supply systems.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 341.036, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) The commission by order may require a public drinking

water supply system that obtains its water supply from an

underground source to install a filtration system for the well for

that source if:

(1) the commission has previously recommended that the

public water system install a filtration system for the well for

that source; and

(2) the public water system:

(A) has not maintained the well for that source

in accordance with commission rules; or

(B) has been the subject of more than one

complaint concerning that source submitted to the commission during

the previous year.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Killam Development Ltd.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Killam Development Ltd.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Senate May 19, 2025

Senate May 19, 2025

Senate May 19, 2025

Senate May 19, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion