What we reported On Aug. 31, 2015, city and several utility providers filed a lawsuit against the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. The San Jacinto River Authority also filed a lawsuit in Travis County on Aug. 31 in response to resolutions by the cities of Conroe and Magnolia stating the cities would not pay for increases in the SJRA’s water fees.

The latest The LSGCD filed an appeal in June at the Beaumont Court of Appeals. A hearing was held Sept. 15, and officials continue to wait for a ruling on the appeal. In the SJRA lawsuit, the city of Conroe was denied on three motions during a hearing Nov. 17, and the case is entering an appeals process.

What’s next In the LSGCD case, if any party is dissatisfied with the Beaumont Court of Appeals ruling, it can appeal the ruling to the Texas Supreme Court. If neither party asks for a Supreme Court ruling, the case would return to trial court consistent with the ruling of the Beaumont court. Regarding the SJRA lawsuit, the deadline for the cities to file their argument against the court’s decision is Jan. 18, and the SJRA has until Feb. 7 to respond. Once the appeals process ends, the case could go to trial as early as this spring.