Texas Water Allocation Rules (16 TAC §24.281) in Plain English

In Texas, owners of apartment houses (five or more units, per the PUCT reference sheet for apartment houses) who allocate master-metered water and sewer costs must follow 16 TAC §24.281 and register with the Public Utility Commission. In summary, as read on 2026-11-04:

• Common areas: deduct at least 5% before allocating, or 25% if common-area irrigation isn't separately metered.
• Methods: actual occupants; a ratio occupancy scale (1 occupant = 1, 2 = 1.6, 3 = 2.2, then +0.4 for each extra); square footage, which may count for no more than 50% of a combined formula; or a bedroom scale (studio 1, one bedroom 1.6, two bedrooms 2.8, three bedrooms 4, then +1.2 per extra bedroom), alone or in combinations.
• Fees: the owner can't add a service charge or fee to the allocated bill beyond the costs the rule allows.

Turn on Texas checks in Ratiotally to use these scales and get flags for the square-foot cap, the common-area minimum and buildings under five units. Ratiotally doesn't register you, write your lease language or check the other disclosure and billing-form requirements in the rule — read the rule itself before billing.

Last reviewed 2026-11-04. General information, not legal advice. Check your lease and your state and local law.