In Radiance, a small community in Hays County, Texas, self-sufficiency is very important. Neighbours help each other and care for their land. Arturo Rivera, a resident for ten years, describes how the community works together.
Radiance built its own well in the 1980s. Later, they dug a second well in 2003 because the first well had bad water. However, in 2025, the second well ran dry. Now, residents must use the original well and boil the water for safety.
Many wells across Hays County are also drying up, making it harder for people to get water. The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District says the water conditions are the worst in over 20 years. Jared Thompson, a well service owner, is worried about the low water levels in nearby areas like Wimberley.
If aquifers, which store groundwater, do not recharge, they can run out. Some new wells are going deeper but may still face problems with water quality, like bacteria. Maintaining wells can be very expensive, leading many families to take significant loans. For example, Radiance took out a $40,000 loan for a new well.
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