CCN Mapping Resources

A Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) gives a retail public utility the exclusive right to provide retail water or sewer utility service to an identified geographic area. The Texas Water Code and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) rules refer to this as the “certificated service area.” A CCN holder is required to provide continuous and adequate service to the area within its CCN boundary.

Investor-owned utilities (IOUs), Water Supply Corporations (WSCs), and affected counties are required to have a CCN.

While some municipalities and districts choose to obtain a CCN, they are not required to have one unless the district or municipality seeks to provide retail water or sewer service within an existing CCN.

An exempt utility is a water utility that provides retail water to less than 15 potential connections for compensation and that is not located in another utility's CCN service area. Exempt utilities may register with the PUCT as an “Exempt Utility” and are not required to obtain a CCN.

Types of Certificated Service Areas:

• Bounded Service Areas: A certificated service area with closed boundaries that often follows identifiable physical and cultural features such as roads, rivers, streams and political boundaries.

• Facilities +200 Feet: A certificated service area represented by lines on a map. They include a buffer of a specified number of feet (usually 200 feet). The lines on a map normally follow along roads and may correspond to distribution lines or facilities in the ground.

• Facilities Only: A certificated service area represented by lines on a map. They are granted for a "point of use" that covers only the customer connections at the time the CCN is granted. Facility only service lines normally follow along roads and may correspond to distribution lines or facilities in the ground.

The purpose of the maps is to support the intent of the application, show the location of the requested area and provide notice to the public.

Mapping Requirements for Applications and Petitions (16 TAC § 24.257(a)(1), (2), and (3)(A)-(C)) *

• A general location map identifying the requested area in reference to the nearest county boundary, city, or town.
• A detailed map identifying the requested area in reference to verifiable man-made and natural landmarks, such as roads, rivers, and railroads.
• One of the following for the requested area:
• a metes and bounds survey sealed or embossed by either a licensed state land surveyor or registered professional land surveyor;
• a recorded plat; or
• digital mapping data in a shapefile (SHP) format georeferenced in either NAD 83 Texas State Plane Coordinate System (US Feet) or NAD 83 Texas Statewide Mapping System (Meters). The digital mapping data shall include a single, continuous polygon record.

Mapping Requirements for a Streamlined Expedited Release (SER) and Expedited Release (ER) (16 TAC § 24.245(h)(3)(G); refers to 16 TAC § 24.245(k)) *

• A general location map identifying the tract of land in reference to the nearest county boundary, city, or town;
• A detailed map identifying the tract of land in reference to verifiable man-made and natural landmarks, such as roads, rivers, and railroads. If ownership of the tract of land is conveyed by multiple deeds, this map must also identify the location and acreage of land conveyed by each deed; and
• One of the following for the tract of land:
• a metes-and-bounds survey sealed or embossed by either a licensed state land surveyor or a registered professional land surveyor;
• a recorded plat; or
• digital mapping data in a shapefile (SHP) format georeferenced in either NAD 83 Texas State Plane Coordinate System (US feet) or in NAD 83 Texas Statewide Mapping System (meters). The digital mapping data must include a single, continuous polygon record.

*Staff recommends providing digital mapping data for the requested area which significantly streamlines the mapping process. Commission staff may request additional mapping information as permitted by statute and rule.

Guidance Documents:

• Key to Map Titles and Legends for General Location and Detailed Maps
• Multiple Requested Water and/or Sewer Areas Notice Guidance

Mapping Guidance for Applications and Petitions:

Dockets are reviewed for administrative completeness once filed through the PUCT Interchange System. Although general mapping guidance may be provided before an application or petition is filed, specific guidance is based on a review of the information contained in a filed application or petition.

When creating the requested area displayed on the general location map, detailed map, and in the digital mapping data (shapefile), we recommend using PUCT's water and sewer CCN digital mapping data to ensure that the outer boundary of the requested area accurately aligns with surrounding CCN's. Our video provides general mapping guidance on how to create maps (general location map and detailed map) and digital mapping data that meets CCN mapping requirements.

Before creating maps, please review PUCT's water and sewer CCN shapefiles provided in FAQ #8. The water and sewer CCN shapefiles provided in NAD 83, Texas Statewide Mapping System (Meters), is intended to be used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Whereas the water and sewer CCN shapefiles provided in NAD 83 Texas State Plane Coordinate System (US Feet) is intended to be used in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software.

The following mapping guidance provides support to mapping professionals to meet the minimum standard mapping requirements. The requested area or tract of land must be identified on the maps and digital mapping data submitted for applications to obtain or amend a CCN; for the sale, transfer, or merger (STM) of a utility; applications for a 13.255; petitions to decertify a CCN in a 13.254; petitions to amend CCN(s) in a 13.248; and petitions for streamlined expedited release and expedited release.

• The maps must accurately identify the location of the requested area in reference to verifiable man-made landmarks (i.e., county boundary, city limit boundaries, town, roads, and railroads), and natural landmarks (i.e., rivers, streams, and lakes).
• Consider the following when maps are mailed for notice purposes:
• Map layouts should be either 8.5x11 inches or 11x17 inches.
• Map layouts should be color or gray scale ready.
• To account for individuals with red-green color blindness, please do not use red or green colors for the outer boundary of the requested area or tract of land.
• The maps should frame and center on the requested area in reference to the nearest verifiable man-made and natural landmarks located to the north, east, south, and west.
• Maps must include the following map elements:
• Title to state the affected Utility Name(s) and CCN No.(s)
• Names for CCN holders must include the correct legal entity name(s).
• Legend to identify and symbolize:
• The boundary of the requested area and the actions (amend, decertify, dually certify, obtain, transfer) taking place; or
• The boundary of the tract of land.
• North arrow to show the direction of north on the map.
• Scale bar to determine the distance and scale used on the map.
• For Staff to verify the boundary of the requested area or tract of land identified on the maps and in the digital mapping data are the same, ensure the following:
• The digital mapping data, general location and detailed map must identify the same boundary of the requested area or tract of land.
• The outer boundary of the requested area is not obstructed by labels on the maps.
• Verifiable man-made and natural landmarks are not covered by labels on the maps.
• Do not include neighboring CCN boundaries on maps.
• When the boundaries for the requested water area(s) and requested sewer area(s) are different, show them on separate maps.
• Multiple requested water areas and requested sewer areas should be sequentially numbered (1, 2, 3, etc.) and labeled in legends and on both the general location maps and detailed maps.
• Boundaries for the requested area:
• Should share coincident boundaries with existing CCN's and city limits, where appropriate.
• Agreements are required if the requested area overlaps existing CCN's or city limits:
• To resolve an overlap with an existing CCN, need agreement to:
• Decertify a CCN (16 TAC § 24.245(d));
• Decertify a CCN and Amend to a CCN (16 TAC § 24.233(a)(13));
• Transfer a CCN (For a 13.248 petition,16 TAC § 24.253(b)(2)); and
• Obtain Dual certification (16 TAC § 24.233(a)(12)).
• To resolve an overlap with a City (16 TAC § 24.233(a)(4)(B)):
• CCN holder needs consent from City to provide retail water or sewer service within the City's corporate boundaries.

SER and ER Mapping Guidance to Meet Minimum Mapping Requirements:

To accurately reflect the acreage conveyed in the deed and properly decertify a tract of land from a CCN, the digital mapping data (shapefile) for the tract of land should be generated from a metes and bounds description provided in the deed or a new metes and bounds survey certified by a licensed state land surveyor or registered professional land surveyor. PUCT's Mapping Section analyze the petitioner's maps and shapefile to determine the amount of acreage that may be decertified from the CCN. Therefore, the petitioner does not need to indicate the acreage overlapping the CCN in the petition or affidavit.

• The petitioner's maps and the shapefile must identify the tract of land conveyed in the deed.
• The tract of land must match the acreage conveyed in the deed.
• A tract of land may consist of one deed, multiple deeds, or multiple tracts.
• If a tract of land has multiple deeds, then the petitioner must identify each deed, and their associated acreage from the deed on the maps and in the shapefiles.
• If a tract of land has multiple tracts conveyed in one deed, then the petitioner should identify each tract and associated acreage of each tract on the maps and in the shapefiles.
• If there is an acreage difference between the shapefile and the deed, then a revised metes and bounds survey certified by a licensed state land surveyor or registered professional land surveyor, or an explanation for the acreage difference may be needed.
• Maps should not include neighboring CCN boundaries.