DISTRICT NAME CHANGE.

(a) On petition by a district showing reasonable grounds for a name change, the commission by order may change the name of the district to the name requested by the district. The new name must be generally descriptive of the location of the district followed by the type of district as provided by the title of the chapter of the Water Code governing the district. If a district is located wholly within one county that contains more than one district of that type, the district may be differentiated, if necessary, by adding to the new name the proper consecutive number. The new name may not be the same as the name of any other district in the county.

(b) A name change takes effect on the date of issuance of the commission order making the name change.

(c) Not later than the 30th day after the date of issuance of the commission order making the name change, the district shall publish notice of the name change in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in the county or counties in which the district is located. Within that same period, the district shall also give notice of the name change by mail to utility customers or permittees, if any, and, to the extent practicable, to the holders of bonds, obligations, and other indebtedness of the district. Failure of the district to comply with this subsection does not affect the validity of the name change.

(d) A change in the name of a district does not affect bonds, obligations, or other indebtedness of the district existing before the name change occurred.