LCRA brings water to Spicewood

SPICEWOOD (KXAN) - Trucks started hauling water today to a local town that stands close to becoming the state's first to go dry during this historic drought.

Spicewood's wells can no longer produce enough water to meet the needs of the community's 1,100 hundred residents and elementary school.

So, the Lower Colorado River Authority supplied two truckloads of water today.

"It's home," said Pam Simek.

Simek and her neighors moved to Spicewood Beach to escape city troubles and enjoy peace in the country.

"It's nice and quiet," said Simek.

But the ongoing drought brought trouble to them when wells could no longer produce enough water for the community.

"As the lake goes down, the wells go down and the lake level has fallen down so much at this point that the small aquifer the well is drilled into has run out of water," said LCRA Manager of Water Operations Ryan Rowney.

Three of the four wells that serve the community are down due to the low water level in Lake Travis.

"This is kind of new territory for all of us.  We're not really sure how the lakes are going to react, we're not sure how people's water wells whether it's a system like this or someone's personal water well--if this drought continues, there's going to be ongoing issues," said Rowney.

Monday the LCRA began hauling in at least four truck loads of water per day to keep a 129-thousand gallon water storage tank full.

"We're not going to let our customers run out of water," said Rowney.


The community is also under Stage 4 water restrictions.

"Do a rain dance for us--pray for us," said Simek,

In the meantime, the LCRA says it is exploring permanent options, like drilling a new well.
   
Until it comes up with a solution it will pay for the $2 dollars per 1,000 gallons of water trucked in--along with fuel costs.   
   
And some customers worry that will eventually trickle down to the many fixed income seniors who live in the community.

"It's going to be devastating. It's going to cost somebody a lot of money, and I don't think LCRA is going to flip the whole bill," said resident Riley Walker.