Water conservation; requiring Oklahoma Water Resources Board promulgate rules for commercial water well spacing; effective date.

HB 1544 requires the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to create regional rules for spacing commercial water wells across the state’s nine designated regions. These rules must consider local geology, groundwater availability, impacts on existing wells, and regional water needs (agricultural, industrial, municipal). The bill mandates one Board staff member per region to oversee compliance with these new spacing requirements, effective November 1, 2025. This directly affects commercial well operators who will need to follow the new regional spacing standards.