A desert city floods differently: rain that would be routine in Houston runs off hard ground and down arroyos in an hour. El Paso’s Chapter 18.60, Flood Damage Prevention applies the National Flood Insurance Program’s definitions — the base flood with a one-percent annual chance, the base flood elevation from the FIRM — and bars development that would raise the base flood by more than one foot without the required findings. The state’s Property Code §92.0135 disclosure applies to every El Paso lease of 30 days or more. This plan covers flood, heat and the two utilities the tenant will call.
Flood: the disclosure, the map and the city chapter
Answer the two §92.0135 questions — awareness of a 100-year floodplain, flooding in the past five years — from the FEMA Flood Map Service Center lookup and from records, using the TREC form wording, and keep a dated screenshot. If the address is in a mapped special flood hazard area, Chapter 18.60 governs any improvement; the chapter also requires an annual inspection of the city’s flood control system and defines “lowest floor” and “substantial improvement” the NFIP way. Repairs after a flood can therefore trigger elevation rules; check with the city before authorising major work.
Heat: the summer health-and-safety condition
A cooling failure in El Paso in July is the condition most likely to start the tenant’s remedies under §92.056. Service the system in spring, keep a contractor who can respond within days, and answer a written cooling complaint the same day in writing. Outages go to El Paso Electric, which runs both generation and the wires, so the tenant has one number rather than two.
Monsoon season: drainage before rain
Late-summer storms are short and intense. Before July: clear roof drains, scuppers and canales on flat-roofed buildings, check that yard grading sends water away from the foundation, and photograph the exterior. After a storm, photograph any water intrusion before repair and keep the tenant’s written report — it starts the §92.056 clock. Street flooding and drainage complaints go to the city; utility-side water problems go to El Paso Water at (915) 594-5500.
Freeze and the account holder
Winter freezes reach exposed pipes, hose bibs and evaporative coolers left un-winterized. Insulate and drain in October, show the tenant the water shutoff and the breaker panel, and say in the lease whose name is on the El Paso Water account, because a burst on the house side of the meter bills to that account.
The one-page sheet and the after-event file
- El Paso Electric outage line; El Paso Water at (915) 594-5500; the city’s emergency channels.
- The landlord’s emergency number and the repair route named in the lease.
- Water shutoff, breaker panel and gas shutoff locations.
- After an event: dated photographs before repair, the tenant’s written report, the insurer’s claim number; §92.054 on casualty loss if the dwelling is unusable; Chapter 18.60 check for work in a flood hazard area.
| Risk | Where to check | What the lease or file contains |
|---|---|---|
| 100-year floodplain | FEMA map · TREC form | Signed §92.0135 disclosure; dated map screenshot |
| City flood regulation | Chapter 18.60 | Note that improvements in a flood hazard area follow NFIP-based rules |
| Heat and cooling failure | Property Code §92.056 | Repair contact and emergency number; same-day acknowledgement |
| Power interruption | El Paso Electric | Single utility number on the sheet; §92.008 respected |
| Water and freeze damage | El Paso Water | Account holder named; shutoff location on the sheet |
What changes in El Paso
- Flash flooding from monsoon storms and arroyos, not river or coastal flooding, is the local pattern; the city chapter follows NFIP rules with a one-foot rise limit.
- One utility, El Paso Electric, for both outages and bills.
- Evaporative coolers and flat roofs add seasonal tasks other Texas cities do not have.
- The §92.0135 disclosure applies in full despite the desert setting.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a flood disclosure for an El Paso rental?
Yes. Property Code §92.0135 applies to most residential leases of 30 days or more anywhere in Texas: a signed written notice about 100-year floodplain awareness and flooding in the past five years.
What does El Paso’s flood chapter require?
Chapter 18.60 applies NFIP definitions and prohibits development that would raise the base flood elevation by more than one foot without the required findings; it governs improvements in mapped flood hazard areas.
Who does an El Paso tenant call during a power outage?
El Paso Electric (El Paso Electric), the integrated utility for the area.
When is monsoon season in El Paso?
Late summer, typically July and August, with short intense storms; clear drains and check grading before July. This page does not give rainfall statistics; the FEMA map and the city’s flood chapter are the sources for regulatory risk.
Sources
Rules change and the right answer can depend on the home, the city, the lease and the timing. These are the official pages this guide relies on; check them before signing, charging a fee, sending a notice or making a legal decision.
- El Paso City Code, Chapter 18.60 — Flood Damage Prevention ↗
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center ↗
- TREC — Landlord’s Floodplain and Flood Notice (official form) ↗
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 92 (residential tenancies) ↗
- El Paso Electric — About EPE ↗
- El Paso Water ↗
General information for U.S. landlords, with a Texas focus. This guide is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Consult a qualified professional for your situation. Written by the rentalfreelease.com Editorial Team; last reviewed September 19, 2026.