BRYAN, Texas (KRHD) — After a recent dispute from an out-of-state company, the City of Bryan is taking legal action to defend the Brazos Valley's water resources.
- San Francisco-based Upwell LLC is pursuing permits to extract up to 100,000 acre-feet of water annually from the Simsboro Aquifer.
- The city of Bryan is aiming to stop the depletion of local water resources.
- Full statement from the city of Bryan
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Who wants to pay more for utilities? Who wants to pay more for an outside company?" asked Byan resident, Roberto Castillo.
The City of Bryan is suing to protect our Brazos Valley water supply.
"Water is a vital resource — it's a vital natural resource," said City Manager, Hugh Walker.
"We want to protect it to the best of our ability."
After a recent dispute from an out-of-state company, the city wants to make sure local water is exclusively for the locals.
"What we're trying to do is really keep the water local, and our concern is that any resource like this has a limited availability," Walker said.
"Once you have others that want to come in and take that resource, it limits what we have."
The deputy city manager tells 15ABC the city accesses its water through wells, and if the need arises to find another resource water rates could increase for local residents.
"That's not right. it shouldn't happen, they should be stopped," said Bryan resident, Jesse Polanco.
15ABC was walking around a neighborhood in Bryan looking for neighbors to talk to when they ran into Jesse Polanco.
He tells 15ABC as a homeowner, higher water rates is the last thing he wants to see.
"As homeowners, mortgages these days are horrendous and to have to pay more for water when it's here locally — it's not right, it shouldn't be, it shouldn't happen," Polanco said.
15ABC also spoke with Roberto Castillo, who says although this is an unfortunate situation, he's happy the city is looking out for neighbors.
"They're fighting for us, they're fighting for the people they're supposed to be representing," Castillo said.
"That feels good because the city's looking out for us," Polanco said.