Water Well Pump Installers Law
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WATER WELL PUMP INSTALLERS
Occupations Code
Title 12. Practices and Trades Related to Water, Health, and Safety
Chapter 1902
Administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
(Effective September 1, 2003)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 1902.001. DEFINITIONS
§ 1902.002. LIABILITY UNDER LAW
SUBCHAPTER B. ADMINISTRATION AND LICENSING PROGRAMS
§ 1902.051. LICENSING
§ 1902.052. RULES
§ 1902.053. WATER WELL DRILLERS ACCOUNT
§ 1902.054. REGISTER OF LICENSE HOLDERS
§ 1902.055. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
SUBCHAPTER D. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
§ 1902.151. LICENSE REQUIRED
§ 1902.152. LICENSE APPLICATION; EXAMINATION FEE
§ 1902.153. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
§ 1902.154. LICENSE FEE
§ 1902.155. LICENSE EXPIRATION; RENEWAL
§ 1902.158. LICENSE NOT TRANSFERABLE
§ 1902.159. REPLACEMENT OF LOST OR DESTROYED LICENSE
§ 1902.161. EXEMPTION: DEWATERING WELL PUMPS AND EQUIPMENT
§ 1902.162. WAIVER FOR APPLICANT LICENSED IN ANOTHER STATE
SUBCHAPTER E. EXAMINATION
§ 1902.201. FREQUENCY OF EXAMINATION
§ 1902.202. CONTENTS OF EXAMINATION
§ 1902.203. GRADING OF EXAMINATION
SUBCHAPTER F. PRACTICE BY LICENSE HOLDER
§ 1902.251. INSTALLING AND REPAIRING PUMPS
§ 1902.252. NOTICE REGARDING INJURIOUS WATER; REPAIR OR COMPLETION OF WELL
§ 1902.253. NOTICE REGARDING ABANDONED OR DETERIORATED WELL
SUBCHAPTER I. OTHER PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS
§ 1902.401. CIVIL PENALTY
§ 1902.402. INJUNCTION AND OTHER ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS
§ 1902.403. VENUE
§ 1902.404. ACTION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 1902.001. Definitions
In this chapter:
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation.
(3) "Council" means the Texas Water Well Drillers Advisory Council.
(4) "Department" means the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
(4-a) “Executive director” means the executive director of the department.
(5) "Installer" means a person who installs or repairs well pumps and equipment. The term does not include a person who:
(A) installs or repairs well pumps and equipment on the person's own property for the person's own use; or
(B) assists in pump installation under the direct supervision of an installer and is not primarily responsible for the installation.
(6) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or other private legal entity.
(7) "Pollution" means a change to the physical, thermal, chemical, or biological quality of water in a way that:
(A) makes the water harmful to humans, animals, vegetation, or property; or
(B) impairs the public enjoyment of water for a reasonable purpose.
(8) "Pump installation" means the procedures employed in the placement and preparation for operation of equipment and materials used to obtain water from a well, including:
(A) construction involved in making the well and establishing seals and safeguards as necessary to protect the water from contamination; and
(B) repairs to an existing pump.
(9) "Well" means a water well, injection well, dewatering well, or monitoring well, as those terms are defined by Section 1901.001. The term does not include an injection water source well regulated under Section 91.101, Natural Resources Code.
(10) "Well pumps and equipment" means equipment and materials used to obtain water from a well, including the seals and safeguards necessary to protect the water from contamination.
§ 1902.002. Liability Under Law
A person is not relieved from liability under law by obtaining a license under this chapter.
SUBCHAPTER B. ADMINISTRATION AND LICENSING PROGRAMS
§ 1902.051. Licensing
(a) The department, with the advice of the council, shall prepare licensing examinations.
(b) The department shall evaluate the qualifications of license applicants.
(c) The executive director shall issue licenses to applicants who qualify.
(a) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to enforce this chapter.
(b) The commission may not adopt a rule under this chapter that:
(1) regulates the installation or repair of well pumps and equipment by:
(A) a person on property the person owns or controls for the person's own use;
(B) an employee of a person described by Paragraph (A); or
(C) a person who is not hired or compensated and who acts on behalf of a person described by Paragraph (A); or
(2) requires a person who owns or controls property or possesses a well to complete, repair, or retrofit the well to any standard other than a standard in effect at the time the well was originally completed unless the well is found to be a threat to public health and safety or to water quality.
§ 1902.053. Water Well Drillers Account
(a) The department shall deposit money collected under this chapter to the credit of the water well drillers account in the general revenue fund. Money deposited in that account under this section may be used only to administer this chapter.
(b) The department shall allocate not more than 20 percent of the money in the account to cover the department's administrative costs.
§ 1902.054. Register of License Holders
The department shall maintain a current register of license holders.
§ 1902.055. Transfer of Functions
If the functions necessary to the proper implementation of duties under this chapter are transferred to another entity, the powers and duties under this chapter are transferred to that entity.
SUBCHAPTER D. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
§ 1902.151. License Required
A person may not act or offer to act as an installer unless the person holds a license issued by the executive director under rules adopted under this chapter.
§ 1902.152. License Application; Examination Fee
(a) An application for a license must contain:
(1) the applicant's name;
(2) the applicant's business address;
(3) the applicant's permanent mailing address; and
(4) any other information required by the department.
(b) An applicant must pay to the department an examination fee at the time the application is submitted.
§ 1902.153. Residency Requirement
A person must reside in this state for at least 90 days before the date the person applies for a license under this chapter.
A person who qualifies for a license must pay to the department the license fee set by the commission.
§ 1902.155. License Expiration; Renewal
Except as provided by Section 51.205(a), a license issued under this chapter expires August 31 of each year. On or before that date, a license holder must pay an annual renewal fee to the department.
§ 1902.158. License Not Transferable
A license is not transferable or assignable.
§ 1902.159. Replacement of Lost or Destroyed License
On application and payment of a fee, the department shall issue a duplicate license to replace a lost or destroyed license.
§ 1902.161. Exemption: Dewatering Well Pumps and Equipment
The licensing requirements of this subchapter do not apply to a person who installs or repairs well pumps and equipment to remove water for the purpose of constructing a highway, road, bridge, drainage, or underground utility project.
§ 1902.162. Waiver for Applicant Licensed in Another State
The commission may adopt rules allowing waiver of a license requirement for an applicant who is licensed in another state that has license requirements substantially equivalent to those of this state.
SUBCHAPTER E. EXAMINATION
§ 1902.201. Frequency of Examination
(a) The department shall offer examinations at least once each month.
(b) The department shall offer examinations more frequently if more than 10 persons petition for an additional examination.
§ 1902.202. Contents of Examination
The department shall design written examinations to disqualify a person who lacks the knowledge of pump installation to the extent that pump installation by the person would create a serious risk of polluting fresh water.
§ 1902.203. Grading of Examination
The department shall administer examinations so that a person grading an examination does not know the identity of the person taking the examination.
SUBCHAPTER F. PRACTICE BY LICENSE HOLDER
§ 1902.251. Installing and Repairing Pumps
An installer shall install or repair pumps under standards and procedures adopted by the commission with the advice of the council.
§ 1902.252. Notice Regarding Injurious Water; Repair or Completion of Well
(a) An installer shall notify the department and the landowner or person having a pump installed or repaired on encountering water injurious to vegetation, land, or other water.
(b) To avoid injury or pollution, the installer shall repair or properly complete the well under standards and procedures adopted by the commission.
§ 1902.253. Notice Regarding Abandoned or Deteriorated Well
An installer who knows of an abandoned or deteriorated well as defined by Section 1901.255 shall notify the landowner or person who possesses the well that the well must be plugged or capped to avoid injury or pollution.
SUBCHAPTER I. OTHER PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS
§ 1902.401. Civil Penalty
A person who violates this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $200 or more than $1,000 for each day of noncompliance or each act of noncompliance as determined by the court.
§ 1902.402. Injunction and Other Enforcement Provisions
(a) The executive director may bring an action to enjoin a person from violating this chapter.
(b) The executive director may enforce by injunction or other appropriate remedy in a court any rule, decision, determination, or order adopted or entered under this chapter.
The executive director may bring an action in:
(1) Travis County; or
(2) the county in which:
(A) the offending activity occurred; or
(B) the person engaging in the activity resides.
§ 1902.404. Action by Attorney General
(a) On request, the attorney general shall represent the department in an action under Section 1902.402.
(b) At the request of the executive director, the attorney general shall bring an action in the name of the state for injunctive relief, to recover a civil penalty, or for both injunctive relief and a civil penalty, as authorized by this subchapter.
