SAN MARCOS, Texas — The Hays County Commissioners Court unanimously signed a resolution Tuesday to ratify a letter requesting a contested case hearing from the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District over a permit application by Electro Purification, LLC.
According to Hays County, the water wholesaler applied to pump 912.5 million gallons of water from the Middle Trinity Aquifer each year.
RELATED:
The court members decided that pumping that amount of water would negatively affect Hays County citizens who rely on wells for their water. The court members said it would also negatively affect the benefits the residents receive from springs such as Jacob's Well and Blue Hole.
“Scientists agree there is a limited amount of water in the aquifer, and even at the lowest of the phased pumping levels allowed in the draft permit there will be a negative impact to nearby property owners,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell. “And, at the highest level properties could potentially become useless to their owners. This draft permit will allow Electro Purification to take water from one area of the county, leaving that area eventually without sufficient water, to supply another area that will also eventually lack water when the water in the aquifer disappears.”
