Groundwater districts were established by the Texas Legislature, in response to concerns that underground aquifers are being depleted. The districts were set up to regulate the amount of water pumped, but many communities are finding they also produce controversy.
Texas derives 59 percent of the water it uses from underground. As new development raises water usage, especially with the building of lakes and ponds that interfere with natural recharge of aquifers, many residents find their wells are running dry. "The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said most North Central Texas counties are exceeding or close to exceeding what can safely be taken out of the Trinity Aquifer, the huge underground pool of groundwater in this region," writes Bill Hanna for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
When the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District began issuing rules and fees for water consumption, critics said that it was a classic example of bureaucratic overreaching. Supporters say that they're just being thrifty with their resources. Horace Grace, president of the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, said, "We want enough water left for future generations and not just to pump them dry." (Read more)
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