I am experiencing threats to my well supply, because my state /county, does not regulate urban/suburban growth and the wells to supply this very affluent influx. Most of the new homes going in my area, could fully contain my house, barn, shop, chicken coop and sheep sheds, with room left over! Most of these homes have 3 to 4 people living in them at the most. All have large swimming pools, Spa tubs, outdoor kitchens, 3 to 6 car garages, and amazing to me, 6 to 7 bathrooms is common, for the typical 4 to 5 bedroom houses! They all are putting in deep wells(250 to 300 ft.) with maximum pumps and pulling down the water table! 3 acre fully irrigated lawns are typical, as well. Each of these new "well off" home owners are using the water resources of 5 or 6 average rural homes that existed here for the last generation! Even here in an area with abundant water, clean, affordable water is important! Our older wells tend to be about 45 to 70 feet deep. Until recently the water level in the wells was way up and never threatened to get to the bottom. In fact the water table at times is only a few yards down. Now people closer to the new developments are experiencing failing wells in high demand times (summer time)and my well is threatened at only 65 feet deep. Many of us are elderly and not "well off" financially. The cost of new wells is a strain for many or impossible for some! I would like to see these pools and lawn irrigations all fed only by the water they can collect from their home rooftops! I like a lot of these rich young folks. But they are greedy and extravagant with precious resources and do not help pay the cost they defer to others! Now we need more police, more fire fighters, more traffic lights,bigger institutions,higher taxes and for us old residents , new wells! Next municipal water is coming to the area from the nearby city. That will help by stopping new wells. But the big municipal pumps can do the same. (but less danger from possible contamination from excessive well entry points) At some point soon, rural/suburban development must be slowed or stopped! Especially the grossly excessive demands of the wealthy consumer for water and power!
