A Houston corporation that purchased 9,000 acres in Robertson County in October of last year now has the authority to drill water wells and pump enough water that exceeds the yearly combined total of the cities of Bryan and College Station and Texas A&M.
The drilling permit was approved by the board of the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District at their October 20 meeting.
General manager Alan Day says the corporation can apply for the district’s first ever permit to export water outside of Robertson and Brazos counties.
Day says state law does not allow them to block water from leaving the district.
Day says the export permit application will include where the water is going and the purpose of the water.
According to the drilling permit application, the corporation “has identified potential customers and there are ongoing discussions but does not have any agreements yet.”
Potential uses are “municipal, industrial, commercial, recreational, agricultural, irrigation, manufacturing, mining, and/or livestock purposes.”
The drilling permit application also states the corporation “intends to transport up to all of the water from this permit application outside of the boundaries of the District. However, some users and uses may occur within the District.”
According to the drilling permit application, the wells will be drilled between Hearne and Calvert and west of Highway 6.
The corporation plans to drill the wells as fast as there is market demand and they can hire drillers.
Day also said the corporation entered a well assistance agreement to pay up to $7.5 million dollars before they start pumping water, to pay for damages if the owners of at least 270 existing wells are impacted.’
Click HERE to read and download the drilling permit application from UW Brazos Valley Farms LLC.
Click HERE to read and download the UW Brazos Valley Farms LLC well assistance agreement.
Click below for comments from Alan Day, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
