Meeting to be held Friday about Capitol Aggregates proposed water well

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) will decide this Friday, Feb. 19, whether or not to approve a water well permit requested by Capitol Aggregates for a quarry operation between Marble Falls and Burnet along US 281.

The hearing will be start at 9 a.m. at 225 South Pierce, Suite 104, in Burnet.

The proposed well, located at 6075 U.S. 281, would be capable of pumping 950 gallons per minute (165 million gallons of water annually) out of the Ellenburger aquifer, according to a CTGCD public hearing notice.

Although the size of the pump would allow that capacity of pumping, that does not mean it constantly would be pumping that much water, said Charles Shell, general manager of the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District.

“Capitol Aggregates are landowners and have the rights to produce groundwater for beneficial purposes, and they’ve applied for those rights,” Shell said.

Capitol Aggregates is quarrying for rocks to be used as gravel, termed an “aggregate quarry operation,” Shell said. Capitol Aggregates is part of the Zachry Corporation, also based in San Antonio.

But, nearby property owners have expressed concerns.

“All I want is the truth,” said Paul King, a member of the Texas Hill Country Property Rights Coalition.  

For more on this story, see The Burnet Bulletin, Wednesday, Feb. 17.