CALDWELL, Texas – A contract between San Antonio Water System and the Vista Ridge Consortium remains under negotiation to build a pipeline from Burleson County in central Texas to San Antonio.
The pipeline would transfer water nearly 150 miles.
The proposal is something Burleson County has seen before.
"Anybody that believes that the State of Texas, the legislature, is going to let the I-35 corridor go dry, while we sit on water, believes in the tooth fairy," said Lee Alford, land owner in Burleson County and member of the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District.
The POSGCD regulates groundwater in Burleson and Milam counties, which lie just west of Bryan/College Station.
Alford believes the transfer of water is inevitable because they sit on the highly coveted, deep Simsboro Aquifer.
"We hear numerous individuals (residents) come in and say, "I don't want to see my water leave here," said Alford.
Some of the water may leave, however, including to San Antonio, should the pipeline contract be agreed upon.
It is proposed to come online as early as 2019.
Thousands of permit holders are in Burleson County and it is up to each individual land owner as to whether or not they want to lease out their water.
Some residents already do, to other nearby towns, with the motivation often being monetarily motivated.
It then falls on the groundwater district to regulate how much is shipped out.
"We as a board does the best job that we can of protecting the citizens of this area," said Alford.
Not everyone agrees with that sentiment, however.
Dr. Curtis Chubb, who heads up the Central Texas Aquifers Coalition, fears the Simsboro Aquifer may be over committed.
"Our groundwater district has approved permits for much more Simsboro groundwater pumping than the modeled available groundwater," said Chubb in a statement. "There can be no question that if all of the permitted and planned pumping occurs, the Simsboro will be depleted rapidly. All I can hope for is that every person/city/water-marketer wanting to use Simsboro groundwater will accept the responsibility for protecting and conserving the Simsboro for future generations."
Meanwhile, SAWS tells KSAT that contract negotiations are going well and that they hope to have a contract with Vista Ridge for the San Antonio City Council to consider by late October.
According to SAWS, 3,400 Burleson County landowners are involved in the deal and there is local support for the purchase of water.