Hays County Commissioners Court To Contest Electro Purification Pumping Permit

Local residents and officials worked with local state representatives in 2015 to pass House Bill 3405 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 1440.

The Hays County Commissioners Court added their voices to the Electro Purification LLC dispute this morning.

Among the items addressed in the meeting was a discussion and possible action to ratify a request for contested case hearing.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell requested the item to contest Electro Purification LLC’s Production Permit application.

The permit allows EP to pump 2.5 million gallons of water daily from the Trinity Aquifer. Residents of Wimberley Valley rely on private wells, which draw water from the aquifer, for daily life. Residents and officials are concerned EP’s pumping will cause a drop in private wells water levels.

The battle over groundwater in Hays County began in 2015 when EP made the initial plan to pump 5.3 million gallons of water a day from wells in an unregulated area of the Trinity Aquifer.

Local residents and officials worked with local state representatives to pass House Bill 3405 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 1440. The bills expanded the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District to regulate wells of the Trinity Aquifer in Hays County.

Four residents, including former county commissioner Will Conley, spoke during the public hearing.  

The resolution to ratify a contested case with BSEACD over Electro Purification’s production permit passed 4-0 with County Judge Bert Cobb being absent.

In other news, commissioners passed a variety of other items including the establishment of a 35 MPH speed limit on Madrone Ranch Trail in Madrone Ranch Subdivision, the approval to execute a contract with the General Land Office for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program and the adoption of new rules and regulations for the Gay Ruby Dahlstrom Nature Preserve.

Commissioners also discussed and considered an amendment of the Hays County Property Assessed Clean Energy program. The amended Report was adopted by 4-0 vote.