Even providing the most basic information in the plat’s fine print was a political fight at the time, Fort Bend County officials said.

“It took a yeoman’s effort because the developers were saying, ‘You can’t make us do that,'” said Richard Stolleis, the Fort Bend county engineer. “It was a pretty significant battle — a high-level discussion — before these were put on the subdivision plat.”

County officials believed the plat’s warning would be passed through the property’s title to every prospective owner at closing. However, many residents said they never saw it. They may have overlooked it or missed it in a stack of documents, or their real estate agents and title workers may have not clearly explained the risk. State law doesn’t require disclosure of such notes, experts said.

Meanwhile, Harris County residents who live within the reservoirs didn’t even get that minimal official notice.’