Sewage and supplied water must be connected to a permitted system regulated by which entity?

• A. Local Health Department
• B. The Water Quality Division of TCEQ
• C. The Environmental Protection Agency
• D. The Texas Department of Agriculture

Answer: (B)

In Texas, public water and wastewater systems are regulated and permitted by the state agency responsible for environmental quality, specifically the Water Quality Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). This division issues permits for public drinking water and sewer systems, monitors compliance with state and federal standards, and enforces requirements under the Texas Water Code and the Safe Drinking Water Act. The EPA sets the national standards, but the actual permitting authority in Texas lies with TCEQ. Local health departments handle health-related concerns but do not issue the primary system permits, and the Texas Department of Agriculture does not regulate these water systems. So the system must be connected to a permitted system regulated by the Water Quality Division of TCEQ.