Did you take continuing education classes with TGWA in Houston last year? Are you having issues when it comes to renewing your water well driller/pump installer license?
TGWA has worked with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to help resolve this issue.
TDLR flagged the Houston classes taken in April 2025 on some licensee profiles. This prevented some licensees from renewing their license, because it showed that they did not have enough continuing education hours.
TGWA ensured that TDLR removed the flags from licensees who will renew in the early summer.
“Any records currently in renewal status have had the CE flag cleared,” TDLR said.
But for licensees who will renew after the end of July, the issue may still exist.
If you attended the Houston 2025 classes and are still having issues with renewing your CE license, please contact the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s customer service department at (512) 463-6599.
If you have further questions, please call the TGWA office at (512) 472-7437 or email Theresa Davis at tdavis@tgwa.org.

Several bills with potential impacts to the groundwater and water well industry have been filed as part of Texas' current Special Legislative Session. The session, called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, began on July 21, 2025. 

Many provisions in these bills stem from a proposed project in Anderson, Henderson, and Houston counties to potentially pump and export groundwater to the Dallas area.  

• House Bill 215
• HB 216
• HB 217
• HB 218 

TGWA is seeking input from our membership to develop a position and/or strategy to move forward on these bills.

Click here to offer feedback in a Member survey. Please respond to this survey by Monday, August 11, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

Click here for a TGWA summary on the proposed bills. 

More information:

• Palestine Herald-Press - "Water War" 
• July 15 Texas House Natural Resources Committee video ​​

Questions? Contact TGWA Executive Director Bobby Bazan - bbazan@tgwa.org / (512) 472-7437.​

The TGWA Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025-2026 financial scholarship awards. This year, 40 deserving students were awarded scholarships totaling more than $27,000. 

These scholarships represent our continued commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders and professionals in our state. 

These scholarships are made possible by generous donors and the TGWA Scholarship Foundation Auction hosted during our annual convention. 

Top 3 Recipients

• Dora Crowell Abilene TX - $2,500
• Brooklynn Lowe Montgomery TX - $1,500
• Charlie Hill San Angelo TX - $1,000

Each Receiving $750

• Katelyn Kutscher - San Marcos  
• Nathan Gonzalez - Argyle 
• Ryder McElroy - Farwell 
• Jacquelyn Waterbury - Midland 
• Jayton Hill - San Angelo  
• Hanna Zwiebel - San Angelo
• Natalee Alvarez - Santa Elena 
• Cadence Hill - Fort Worth 

Each Receiving $600

• Cash Martin - Abernathy  
• Myra Herrera - Canadian 
• Billy Yonce - Waxahachie 
• Tevin Meade - Miles 
• Madalene Spencer - De Leon 
• Retha LaForge - Midland 
• Reese Warren - Seymour 
• Samantha Kaspar - College Station 
• Emma Conyers - Dimmitt 
• Etta Berry - Happy 
• Anna Heikes - San Antonio 
• Carson Woods - Huntsville 
• Emily Berry - Happy  
• Audrey Majors - Wimberley 
• Maggie Hunt - North Richland Hills 
• Amie Weaver - Midland 
• Caleb Mannix - Gatesville 
• Eric Moczygemba - Floresville 
• Indigo Keener - Austin  

​Each Receiving $500

• Maci Moravcik - Anton 
• Piper Moats - Richland Springs
• Tristan Felder - Menchaca 
• Payton McBride - Kilgore 
• Reid Turney - Stanton 
• ​JoyAnn Stiner - Canadian 
• Addie Siegert - Bryan 
• Reese Wieck - Dalhart 
• Jacob Hayes - Canadian 
• Jett Carroll - Lubbock 

​Visit tgwa.org/scholarship-foundation to learn more. 

Visit our Family Weekend page for more photos.

​Texas Groundwater Association (TGWA) hosted the Summer 2025 Board of Directors meeting in Port Aransas on July 19.

The TGWA board approved a proclamation that offers condolences to board member Bill Stoner’s family after his passing and details his contributions to TGWA and the groundwater industry. 

The board approved rates for online advertising on TGWA's website and emails. 

TGWA will offer several free Convention registrations as incentive for members completing an upcoming industry survey. 

TGWA is donating $7,500 to the Texas Well Owner Network for water testing in flood-impacted areas.

$4,500 of that donation comes from Felder Water Well & Pump Service, LLC , Hydrogeologic/Environmental Testing (H/ET), and Russell Drilling Co., Inc.

Groundwater Science Division Chair Amy Bush sought input from the board on hosting the 2026 Geoscience Seminar in Alpine, Texas.

TGWA Executive Director Bobby Bazan noted that TGWA staff will have a booth at the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD) Groundwater Summit in San Antonio from August 19-21.

Convention Committee Chair Bob Hill presented the committee’s scorecard of Annual Convention site selection criteria and encouraged the board to offer suggestions for increasing Contractor & Driller attendance at the annual event. Bobby Bazan noted that TGWA has received 2028 Convention proposals from Lubbock and Mesquite.   

Auction & Raffle Committee Chair Chris Lange said staff will have the raffle tickets printed and ready to distribute at the Fall board meeting.

Bobby Bazan said staff and the CE committee will continue to work on classes for the Convention and the 2026 CE season. TGWA staff is also working on online CE classes.

The next TGWA Board Meeting will be on October 18, 2025, in San Angelo. 

​HB2034: This bill has not yet been assigned to a committee. It would restrict issuing groundwater permits for certain foreign organizations or governments.

HB310: This bill has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. It would enable money transferred from the Texas water fund for water infrastructure projects to go to smaller municipalities.

HB2545: This bill would establish the Rural Workforce Training Grant Program. The grants would provide “targeted funding for job-specific workforce training and related services to strengthen the skills, resources, and career opportunities of the rural workforce” in Texas.

HB182: This bill has been referred to the House State Affairs Committee. It aims at requiring rest breaks for employees of certain governmental entity contractors.

HB446: This bill has been referred to a House subcommittee on workforce. It would create a heat illness prevention advisory board that adopts rules for workplace heat illness prevention.

SB339 / ​HB193 / HB691: These bills each aim to increase the minimum wage. 

SB324: Requires state contractors to implement E-verify to earn contracts from state agencies

SB716: Relating to the issuance of an occupational license to certain out-of-state applicants

SB1060 (Companion to HB 1238): Relating to the inspection of the location of a proposed Class I injection well 

House Bill 710 (similar to SB716): Relating to the recognition of occupational licenses and government certifications issued in other states; authorizing a fee

HB2690: Relating to governmental restrictions on the right to earn a living

HB794: Relating to limitations on the enforcement of certain occupational regulations

HB1523: Relating to a prohibition on the authorization by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of the use of a Class V injection well for certain aquifer storage and recovery projects

HB2091: Relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development Board for certain projects

HB1172: Relating to requiring the Department of Information Resources to conduct a study concerning the cybersecurity of small businesses

HB199: Relating to the maximum amount of unemployment benefits payable to an individual during a benefit year under the state unemployment insurance program

​HB822 (similar to HB841/HB 1880): Relating to requiring certain employers to provide paid sick leave to employees

HB875: Relating to workers' compensation insurance coverage and bid bonding requirements for small municipal construction projects

HB1069: Relating to the classification of certain construction workers and the eligibility of those workers for unemployment benefits

HB1078: Relating to the creation, distribution, and posting of a veterans benefits and services poster in the workplace

HB1351: Relating to employment leave for certain family or medical obligations

On December 17, the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) adopted new rules relating to Shallow Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems.

​A recently-passed state law transferred regulatory authority of these systems from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to the RRC. 

This fall, the Texas Groundwater Association worked with members and industry stakeholders to recommend changes on the RRC’s proposed rules.

​The RRC agreed to consider TGWA’s suggestion of developing a best practices guideline document that will help industry comply with the new rules.

The RRC rules will make it clear that a well report is not needed for each well when multiple boreholes are drilled as part of the same system. A map or drawing of each well must be provided.

The RRC will also include TGWA’s suggested language noting that shallow closed-loop geothermal systems are permanent property fixtures. Similar to a water well, these systems will transfer with the property.

TGWA suggested replacing the word “geothermal” with “ground source heat pump” or “geothermal heat injection well" throughout the new rules to better describe the process.

RRC declined to make that change as a whole, but updated the definition of shallow closed-loop geothermal systems to include “heat pump” and heat transfer fluids.”

The RRC will also consider the term “shallow closed-loop geothermal system” to be the same as a “ground source heat pump system.”

The RRC will exempt wells built before January 6, 2025, from the new rules.

Pond/lake geothermal heat pump systems are also exempt from the new rules.

To read the full adopted rules, click here. 

1. Become a Member
The easiest way to get involved? Become a TGWA member! Your membership is the key to networking opportunities, continuing education, advocacy on the state and national level, and industry news. Learn more here. 

2. Join a Committee
TGWA members volunteer to serve on committees that help move the association forward. Committees help plan our annual Convention, organize the TGWA Scholarship Foundation auction and raffle, advocate for legislation, and review nominations for annual awards. Learn more about joining a TGWA committee. 

3. Nominate a Board Member
Nominations for board candidates may be submitted to the TGWA Executive Director or any Nominating Committee member by a current TGWA member in good standing or by the nominee. To nominate yourself or another TGWA member, click here. 

4. Attend the Convention
The annual TGWA Convention is a great opportunity to connect with professionals across the industry. The convention also gives attendees a chance to earn up to 8 continuing education hours at once. 

5. Come to our Family Weekend 
Every year, the summer TGWA Board Meeting coincides with a Family Weekend of fun, food and activities. The 2025 Family Weekend will be hosted in Port Aransas, Texas, from July 18-20. 

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is reviewing state rules for Water Well Drillers and Water Well Pump Installers.

The state must review these rules every four years for re-adoption, revision, or repeal. 

Current rules cover everything from license requirements to continuing education to technical standards about water well completions.

TDLR asks these questions when reviewing each rule:

• Is it obsolete?
• Does it reflect current legal and policy considerations?
• Is it in alignment with current procedures of the Department?

Current rules are under Title 16, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 76 and can be viewed on the Texas Administrative Code website.

The Texas Groundwater Association is currently drafting recommendations about current rules to submit to TDLR, including previously proposed amendments:​

What is the Texas Groundwater Association? Learn about who we are and what we do in this new TGWA video.