Unplugged Wells Concern Landowner
Landowner
Mike Hughes voiced his concerns regarding abandoned but unplugged water wells at
the April 17 meeting of the Glasscock County Underground Water Conservation
District Board of Directors
Hughes said his experience indicates there must be hundreds of old water wells
in the county, which were abandoned and left open. He said landowners should do
what’s right and seal old holes properly, regardless of liability concerns.
Hughes said, “We keep hearing how precious water is -- we are blessed with
good water here and we need to respect it.
Also, good housekeeping is a good way to keep Austin out of our
business,” he said.
Executive Manager Rick Harston said GCUWCD has no funds designated for plugging
wells, and there is no state fund for plugging fresh water wells. Harston said
costs for plugging a water well can run from $250 to $400.
Three Directors Terms Expire
Terms are
expiring for Kenneth Braden in Precinct 1, Mark Halfmann in Precinct 2 and
At-large Director Dennis Seidenberger in August. Signup for board candidates is
June 1 – 30 at the water district office.
District Manager Rick Harston reported May 15 that the bill which amends the district’s enabling legislation was sent to the governor May 14, and he expects it to take effect immediately. With that bill, director’s terms will gradually change to four years, and elections to every other year.
Harston said
he is pleased with Senate Bill 2 as it is now, but before the legislative
session ends May 28, anything can happen. He said statewide, 35 new groundwater
districts have been added during in this session.
Harston
reported that three cloud-seeding planes are up and going, and one is being
repaired. He hopes the weather modification association will have a plane
stationed in Big Lake by mid-summer.
Harston reminded the directors that the GCUWCD, along with Glasscock County, is officially part of the lawsuit between the insurance group West Texas Rural Counties, and Eckerd Drug.