Wastewater System Design: Approval Authority for Cities

On this page:

• Acquire Approval Authority for Your City
• Requirements for Maintaining Your Authority
• Cities with Approval Authority
• End Approval Authority for Your City
• Address

Acquire Approval Authority for Your City

At least 30 days before commencing review and approval of design plans and specifications for wastewater collection system projects, your City must:

Step 1. Verify Eligibility

Review Texas Water Code (TWC), §26.034(d) to ensure your municipality meets the minimum requirements for TCEQ to grant approval authority.

Note: TCEQ cannot grant approval authority to review and approve collection systems located within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone.

Step 2. Request Authority

Submit a request letter to TCEQ electronically or by mail (see addresses below):

• Include a map or maps delineating the jurisdictional boundaries of the area for which it is seeking approval authority.
• Certify your review program will meet the minimum requirements under 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §217.8 , including:
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable rules under 30 TAC Chapter 217.
  • An engineer or engineering firm on record will administer the review program.

Step 3. Review and Acknowledgement

Within 30 days of receipt, we will review your request letter and will take one of the following actions:

• If everything is acceptable, we will send you an acknowledgment letter to authorize your approval authority.
• If any information is incomplete or missing, we will send you a letter requesting the necessary information. You will have 30 days (about a month) to respond to this request.
• If coverage has been denied, we will send you a denial letter.

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Requirements for Maintaining Your Authority

To maintain approval authority your review and approval program must:

• Ensure compliance with all the applicable rules of 30 TAC Chapter 217.
• Review and approve engineering reports and plans and specifications for projects that transport domestic wastewater within the jurisdictional boundaries of that municipality.
• Issue a written approval document to the system owner that includes the details of each project approved for construction and all variances approved.
• Maintain complete files of all review and approval activities.

TCEQ will conduct periodic audits of city approval programs, providing written notice a minimum of five business days prior to beginning an audit.

• Your program must make all review and approval activities’ files available and maintain the files for the life of each project.
• Document all agreements between private consultants and your municipality that relate to review and approval activities.

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Cities with Approval Authority

The following cities currently have design approval authority for collection systems in that city and its extra-territorial jurisdiction:

• City of Austin.
• City of Carrollton.
• City of Corpus Christi.
• City of Dallas.
• City of Fate.
• City of Fort Worth.
• City of Frisco.
• City of Houston.
• City of Jacksboro.
• City of Kerrville.
• City of Lubbock.
• City of McKinney.
• City of Midland.
• City of New Braunfels.
• City of Plano.
• City of San Antonio.
• City of Waco.
• City of Wichita Falls.

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End Approval Authority for Your City

At least 30 days prior to your desired date to end your city’s review authority, submit a written request to TCEQ electronically or by mail (see addresses below):

Address

Electronic submittal:

https://ftps.tceq.texas.gov/   to WQDeCopy@tceq.texas.gov.

Mailed Submittal

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