Monitoring the Session

SB 2885

treated wastewater can be stored underground and pumped back out

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Pete FloresRSenate 24

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the use of reclaimed water that has been treated to meet certain standards as part of an aquifer storage and recovery project.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Only if it meets the treatment standards the agency sets.

The bill lets the state environmental agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, allow treated wastewater, called reclaimed water, to be injected underground as part of projects that store water in aquifers and pump it back out later. It touches cities and local water entities that want to store treated effluent underground, and the agency that writes the treatment standards and issues the permits. Starting September 1, 2025, the agency can approve this kind of injection by rule or permit, as long as the water meets standards the agency sets, even though another part of the same law would otherwise stand in the way.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 105 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 105 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2885 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Pete FloresRSenate 24

ITEM

relating to the use of reclaimed water that has been treated to meet certain standards as part of an aquifer storage and recovery project.

WHAT IT DOES

Only if it meets the treatment standards the agency sets.

The bill lets the state environmental agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, allow treated wastewater, called reclaimed water, to be injected underground as part of projects that store water in aquifers and pump it back out later. It touches cities and local water entities that want to store treated effluent underground, and the agency that writes the treatment standards and issues the permits. Starting September 1, 2025, the agency can approve this kind of injection by rule or permit, as long as the water meets standards the agency sets, even though another part of the same law would otherwise stand in the way.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026$0

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version S · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 24, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2885, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. However, there is an estimated two year net impact of ($1,153,162) to the General Revenue-Dedicated Water Resource Management Account No. 153 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · $0

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Vote taken in committee
  9. Reported favorably as substituted
  10. Committee report printed and distributed
  11. Placed on intent calendar
  12. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  13. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  14. Vote recorded in Journal
  15. Three day rule suspended
  16. Record vote
  17. Read 3rd time
  18. Passed
  19. Record vote
  20. Reported engrossed
  21. Received from the Senate
  22. Read first time
  23. Referred to Natural Resources
  24. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  25. Considered in public hearing
  26. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  27. Left pending in committee
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  30. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  31. Committee report distributed
  32. Committee report sent to Calendars
  33. Considered in Calendars
  34. Placed on General State Calendar
  35. Read 2nd time
  36. Passed to 3rd reading
  37. Record vote RV#3812
  38. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote RV#3910
  42. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  43. House passage reported
  44. Reported enrolled
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Signed in the House
  47. Sent to the Governor
  48. Signed by the Governor
  49. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“the commission by rule or by individual or general permit may authorize the injection of reclaimed water that is treated in accordance with standards adopted by the commission for that purpose”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill opens Texas aquifers to storage of treated wastewater, which changes how local water supplies are managed and stored.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 118 yea · 17 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 30, 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Pete Flores

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$55KMorris Jaffe$25,000Justin Jaffe$25,000

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 12, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$55,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 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.

Report IDs: 100985131, 101008112, 101072110.

Morris Jaffe$25,000.00
Justin Jaffe$25,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 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.

Report IDs: 100985131, 101008112, 101072110.

Votes5

House May 28, 2025

Yea
118
Nay
17
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
7
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3910

SB 2885 was passed by (Record 3910): 118 Yeas, 17 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 118 (published)
  • Nay: 17 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea
121
Nay
13
Present, not voting
1
Absent
12
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3812

SB 2885 was passed to third reading by (Record 3812): 121 Yeas, 13 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 121 (published)
  • Nay: 13 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 12 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 30, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Flores moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2885 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 30, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Flores moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2885 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 30, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses23
For
18
Against
0
On
5
Names

For

  • Bell County WCID #12 registrations
  • Central Texas Water Alliance1 registration
  • City of Temple5 registrations
  • Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District1 registration
  • Clearwater Underground Water Consevation District1 registration
  • Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance1 registration
  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club2 registrations
  • Self3 registrations
  • Self; City of Temple1 registration
  • Self; South Texans’ Property Rights Association1 registration

On

  • Self; Simsboro Aquifer Defense Fund (SAWDF)1 registration
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality4 registrations
Sources

23 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

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

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

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

Fiscal
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026$0

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version S · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 24, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2885, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. However, there is an estimated two year net impact of ($1,153,162) to the General Revenue-Dedicated Water Resource Management Account No. 153 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · $0

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 14, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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

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

Sponsors
Brad BuckleyRHouse 54

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Environment--Water

Water--Development

Water--General

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 105 words

89R15522 KRM-F

By: Flores
S.B. No. 2885

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of reclaimed water that has been treated to meet

certain standards as part of an aquifer storage and recovery

project.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27.153, Water Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) For purposes of Subsection (b), water includes

treated reclaimed water that complies with the standards set forth

under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Section 300f et

seq.).

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