Internal prototype — noindexed, not linked from public navigation yet.

Tex. Water Code § 28.031

This is the official text of Tex. Water Code § 28.031, part of Texas’s Water Code — governs water rights and water resource management.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§ 28.031. ISSUANCE OF PERMIT.

Official statutory text

(a) The commission may grant an application in whole or part and may issue the shaft permit if it finds:

(1) that the use or installation of the shaft is in the public interest and that after consideration of all siting alternatives there is a public need for construction of the shaft at the location for which the application is made;

(2) that no existing rights, including but not limited to mineral rights and water rights, will be impaired;

(3) that, with proper safeguards, both ground and surface water can be adequately protected from pollution; and

(4) that the applicant has made a satisfactory showing of financial responsibility if required by Subsection (b) of Section 28.053 of this chapter.

(b) In the permit the commission shall impose terms and conditions reasonably necessary to protect all water from pollution, including the necessary casing, liners, seals and surface facilities.

(c) In the permit the commission shall impose terms and conditions for final closure of surface facilities and plugging and sealing of the shaft reasonably necessary to protect all water penetrated from pollution.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Texas?

Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.