Residents Refer To Project As A Water Grab

WIMBERLY, Texas (AP) — A project that aims to pull more than 5 million gallons of water from the small town of Wimberly for nearby developing suburbs has caused division in Central Texas.

The Dallas Morning News (http://bit.ly/1N8FDct ) reports that experts say that disputes over water development to feed fast-growing suburbs will become more common.

In what residents are calling a "water grab," Houston-based Electro Purification is drilling wells in an area that is unregulated by groundwater conservation districts to pull water from the Trinity Aquifer. Residents fear that because of this practice, they will be forced to drill deeper, more costly wells.

About 100 groundwater conservation districts across Texas dictate how much water can be pumped in an effort to protect aquifers. Not all areas are covered.

Electro Purification, and the ranchers who leased their land to the company, says their project is legal and appropriate.