Aqua's reasons for an increase in its pumping permits are the new elementary school and the Ridge at Wimberley Springs subdivision, and, get this, irrigation water for the golf course apparently to allow development of a new course . . .
** Update Wednesday, July 1 – The location for the public hearing has been changed to Wimberley City Hall Council Chambers. Same date, Thursday July 9. Same time, 9 a.m. Call city hall for directions, 847.0025.
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or to Mr. McMeans, JRMcMeans@msn.com *You can read the comments or add your own by clicking on the "comments" button below the story.
Editor's Note: Two words: "No, thanks."
By Bob Ochoa
RoundUp Editor
Wimberley, Tx – Drought sensitive citizens who are doing their best to conserve on water will be interested to know that Aqua Texas and Wimberley Springs Partners are both requesting some big increases in their groundwater pumping permits from the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
A public hearing will be held by the district July 9 at Wimberley City Hall Council Chambers to consider the requests. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. and of course the public is invited to attend and offer comments for the record. For more details, go to the district's website, here.
How low can the aquifer go before we all hit bottom and our wells start spittin' mud?Aqua Texas, which is notorious for wasting tons of groundwater through its leaky pipes and run down system, is asking for authority to pump 75 additional acre-feet of groundwater annually. One acre foot equals about 326,000 gallons. So that's about 24.5 million gallons more groundwater the Woodcreek Phases I & II water company wants to extract and sell at a premium price.
Aqua's current permit allows pumping 312 acre-feet annually in Phase I and 373 acre-feet in Phase II. Equals, 223.3 million gallons a year. That's a heckuva lot of groundwater.
Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD) organizer Jim McMeans has rounded up some numbers that show Aqua is losing/wasting about 262-acre feet each year (84.4 million gallons) due to leaks. Aqua is welcome to chime in if it can show us a different set of numbers.
McMeans alertly points out that, "Only a 30% decrease in water wasted (262 x .30 = 78 acre-feet) would yield more than the entire (new) amount requested by Aqua Texas."
Aqua's reported reasons for the requested pumping increases are the new elementary school and the Ridge at Wimberley Springs subdivision out off the Blanco highway (2325), and, get this, irrigation water for the golf course apparently to allow development of a new course. Y'all make sure and make it out to the First Annual Hays County Drought n' Dry Hole Invitational next year.
The RoundUp also sees as a reason a very possible new future Aqua customer in the new Baptist Church off Wimberley Mills Parkway and across RR 12 (water line tunneled under), and some as yet unbuilt spec homes up the hill from the church. A very expensive option for the church, but that's a whole other story.
Here are other important factors McMeans points out that should be considered in Aqua's audacious requests:
1. The HTGCD reports that current pumping (across the Trinity Aquifer in western Hays) is approximately 900 acre-feet (293.4 million gallons) per year MORE than the Management Plan's sustainable yield. This means our wells are likely to go dry in the future unless pumping is reduced.
2. We are in an exceptional drought which appears to be getting worse each month with no relief in sight.
3. The development proposed by Wimberley Springs Partners is 130 small lots (70% are 1/4 to 1/3 acre) which will destroy all aquifer recharge within the subdivision. The development will apparently propose a new golf course which would require intensive groundwater use for irrigation.
There's no telling where the district's new board will go with the changes Aqua seeks in its permit. They could punt, pass or kick.
The RoundUp would like to add a final point which no one from the district has been able to clearly explain: Does the district have the authority, or Aqua's permission, to check the levels of Aqua's main service wells? We've been told probably not. Same with Wimberley Water Supply wells. Are their well levels dropping, a little or a lot? It appears as though this is carefully guarded information, or sometimes spun to sound cheerful.
San Antonio relies heavily on groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer for its water supply. Their aquifer's main monitoring well is showing drops of up to a foot a day.
10 comments:
The hearing is to be held at Woodcreek City Hall located at 41 Champion Circle. Please show up and lend your voices speaking out against Aqua Texas/Wimberley Springs Partners permit application. This is serious folks!
Why would an Elementary school, especially in a district that only has 2000 students in total, need a whole lot of water? They don't have a swimming pool do they? Please tell me they don't. Instead of making the school so fancy they should have set them up for rainwater harvesting.
As far as a golf course, use gray water or forget it. New subdivisions will be self-limited by the state of the economy for at least the next 3.5 years.
Is this a joke, using finite groundwater reserves to irrigate golf courses? Hays Trinity District, you have MY PERMISSION as a private one home well owner to kick these guys out onto the sidewalk and tell them to stop all that waste first and foremost!
If the citizens of hays County have any say about the wasting of our precious ground water, then neither of these requests should be granted. Jacob’s Well is completely dried up now and I fear it won’t come back. Cypress Creek is, I suspect, getting well water pumped into it illegally to keep Camp Young Judea and Blue Hole open. It can’t be long before we have to drive to another area and pick our water up in plastic jugs. Wake up people and fight this abuse while we can.
Amen! There's nothing like the voice of a cohesive citizenry. We must not allow ourselves to be robbed blind by the developer bandits. Please take the time to take some time from your daily routines and let your voices be heard, rain or shine. Attend the public hearing as if your last drop of water depended on it.
If you all want to be "a cohesive citizenry" then why are all of you anonymous on this community blog? How can we trust each other without know who we all are?
Thanks for your astute question, Peter. As RoundUp editor I have often thought about the pluses and minuses of the anonymous comment here on the blog. And I have concluded that there are more pluses than minuses, all things considered. Most of the major online dailies allow anonymous comments.
Your question brought to mind Thomas Paine. Sure enough, here's something I found in a very quick search for your consideration (I'm sure there's much more on the topic):
"This is censorship, pure and simple," says David Jones, president of Electronic Frontier Canada (EFC), a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of civil liberties in electronic media. "The right to speak anonymously is a fundamental one. Anonymity plays an important role for many Canadians: Alcoholics Anonymous, rape crisis centers, suicide prevention hotlines, anonymous tips to police through Crime-Stoppers, or whistle-blowers that alert the public to government corruption.
EFC's Vice-President, Jeffrey Shallit, agrees. "The law is clearly contrary to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The right to anonymous political speech is essential in a free society. Without it, how can powerful governments be challenged by citizens afraid of reprisals?" He pointed to Thomas Paine's Common Sense as an example of an important political document originally published anonymously."
May Freedom always ring, even here in Hays County!
Regards,
Bob Ochoa
Hi Bob,
I am very familiar with Paine's Common Sense and also of the need perhaps for anonymity on occasions.
I also know that there is a time to drop the anonymity when it comes to encouraging the community to come together in the best interests of its members. Trust is the mainstay of any community.
While there is presumed "safety" in anonymity, there may also be distrust by those who view the anonymous pesentation of words and thoughts. How can you be sure you are not being manipulated by someone anonymous for his/her own gain?
It is true that there may be retribution for one's views and comments; however, in the realm of the Universe and in our daily lives, when we want to work for the common good what part does anonymity play in establishing trust and effecting positive change?
If you fear retribution to the point of hiding behind anonymity, what may be the face value of the information you present?
Peter, If I were Thomas Paine, I would say, "My God man! We know what it is we don't trust."
These types of forums exist to encourage conversation and personal thinking and analysis of various issues. No one should take anything said here as pure fact, especially if the source is anonymous. I have no registered name on Google, Yahoo or anywhere else for reasons of personal security and do appreciate the freedom to comment here.
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