TDLR reviewing rules for water well drillers, pump installers

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:​

• Amend rule 76.25(b) to include the following:
  • one (1) hour of instruction dedicated to ethics; and
  • one (1) hour of instruction dedicated to commercial vehicle enforcement rules; and
  • five (5) hours of instruction in topics directly related...
• Amend rule 76.25(c) to increase the number of continuing education hours required for renewal to 4 hours annually for apprentices to include the following:
  • one (1) hour of instruction dedicated to the Water Well Driller/Pump Installer statutes and rules; and
  • one (1) hour of instruction dedicated to commercial vehicle enforcement rules; and
  • two (2) hours of instruction in a topic directly related...
• Amend rule 76.25 to include language that requires continuing education hours of dedicated instruction to be completed in person.

Any suggested comments about Chapter 76 rules should be submitted to TGWA Executive Director Bobby Bazan ([email protected]) by Sunday, December 15, 2024. 

If you would like to submit comments to TDLR on your own behalf or in support of the TGWA comments, the deadline for submission is December 23, 2024. Comments may be submitted electronically on the Department’s website at https://ga.tdlr.texas.gov:1443/form/gcerules (select the appropriate rule chapter name for your comment).