Key Points

• Aqua Texas over-pumped the Wimberley Valley by nearly 238 million gallons between 2022 and 2024 in excess of its permits.
• Jacob's Well ran dry for 222 days in 2022 and has yet to fully recover.
• Aqua Texas has filed for a comprehensive rate increase, requesting a 25.5 percent increase in water revenues and a 47.6 percent increase in wastewater revenues, while continuing litigation against the groundwater district.
  
  A newly formed coalition, Say No to Aqua Texas (SNTAT), has launched a public awareness campaign calling for the Wimberley Valley's water and wastewater systems to be returned to local control. The coalition is made up of Wimberley Valley neighbors, well owners, scientists, business owners, and local leaders working to raise awareness about Aqua Texas's management of local water resources. 
  

A Deliberate Pattern, Not an Accident

According to the coalition, years of public records, regulatory filings, and court documents demonstrate what it describes as a deliberate pattern of over-pumping. The coalition states that Aqua Texas exceeded its permitted groundwater withdrawals by nearly 238 million gallons between 2022 and 2024. It also notes that the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District's general manager has described the company's over-pumping as "pretty habitual." 

A Spring Drained, a Fine Refused

The coalition points to events in 2022, when Aqua Texas pumped nearly twice its legal limit from the Trinity Aquifer and was assessed a $448,710 civil penalty. Around the same time, Jacob's Well, one of the region's most iconic springs, ran dry for 222 days and has not regained consistent flow. According to the coalition, rather than paying the penalty or repairing infrastructure, Aqua Texas filed suit in federal court seeking to overturn the groundwater district's rules.


Pumping Without a Permit, While Charging More

The coalition also states that Aqua Texas failed to submit permit renewal applications in 2023 while continuing to pump groundwater. It notes that a formal complaint before the Public Utility Commission of Texas seeks to revoke Aqua Texas's authority to operate in the Wimberley area. At the same time, the company has requested a 47.6 percent increase in wastewater revenues and a 25.5 percent increase in water revenues, a request the coalition is contesting before the Commission.

"Pristine water in Jacob's Well has always flowed out of this limestone. Then a company headquartered in Pennsylvania pumped it nearly dry," said Louie Bond, longtime Wimberley area resident and executive chair of Say No to Aqua Texas. "When our local groundwater conservation district said enough and issued a civil penalty, Aqua Texas didn't fix the leaks, and they didn't pay up. Instead, they sued, in federal court, to throw out the rules. That's not how a neighbor behaves. The campaign lays out the record so every person who drinks this water can review the facts for themselves. Our water belongs in local hands."

Campaign Overview

According to the coalition, the campaign provides access to public records, legal filings, and information about ways residents can become involved, including sharing their experiences, contacting decision-makers, and staying informed about ongoing developments. The coalition says it plans to continue participating in Public Utility Commission proceedings and related legal matters while documenting Aqua Texas's actions, sharing updates with the public, and expanding community involvement around local water issues.


About the Coalition

Say No to Aqua Texas (SNTAT) is a coalition of Wimberley Valley neighbors, well owners, scientists, business owners, and local leaders working to oppose Aqua Texas's over-pumping and advocate for returning the region's water and wastewater systems to local control. This version removes all direct links and website references while preserving the overall message and keeping the Watershed Association in the role of sharing community information rather than promoting or speaking on behalf of the campaign.