Water war rages in Bastrop County

It's a water war in Bastrop County. Wednesday, officials will meet to discuss tapping into a crucial aquifer that underlies Bastrop, Milam, and Lee Counties to name a few.

Three permits, totaling 140,000 acre feet are vying for a share of the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, an aquifer that supplies a huge portion of Central Texas' drinking water.

“They will bankrupt the water system in Bastrop and Lee counties,” said Darwyn Hanna, resident.

Hanna lives in Red Rock and is vocal about his stance against sharing the aquifer.

“I live in the country and own about 200 acres that is all going to be affected if the water table gets drawn down,” he said.

One of the permits is coming from San Antonio's Vista Ridge Project. The city says the new water supply could provide enough water for more than 150,000 families there.

“We're not opposed to sharing some but do not drain and harm this aquifer, we all depend on it,” Linda Curtis, with the League of Independent Voters, said.

Curtis says the groundwater inside the Carrizo-Wilcox takes a while to recharge, making it more prone to deplete much quicker.

“If you ruin an aquifer that feeds Bryan-College Station over to this area, what are people going to do?” Curtis said.

The Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District is being advised by their lawyers to share the water.

“They're trying to force the water board to violate the law that put them in business,” Hanna said.

Intentions may mean well, but Bastrop County residents feel this is not the solution.

“This is truly a manmade disaster,” Curtis said.

Wednesday’s meeting on this issue will be at the Bastrop Convention Center. This will not be a public forum.