Hays County judge says Rep. Erin Zwiener turned away from meeting over water dispute

State Rep. Erin Zweiner claims she was denied entry to a private Hays County meeting on Friday, led by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, which aimed to address historically low groundwater levels and protect the county’s water supply. Zweiner, representing District 45, stated she RSVP’d to Becerra's Clear Water Summit but was turned away by his chief of staff due to alleged capacity issues and disagreements over his water protection efforts. The dispute stems from Becerra's recent proposal to pause high-water-use developments, such as expanding AI data centers, as groundwater levels in Hays County reach historic lows. This proposal was tabled by the Hays County Commissioners Court and faced opposition from other officials, including Zweiner, who criticized it as counterproductive. Judge Becerra accused Zweiner of publicly criticizing the summit and its participants, suggesting her exclusion was partly due to these disagreements. He expressed willingness to include her in future discussions if she commits to making meaningful contributions. Zweiner plans to attend the next summit in 90 days, which will focus on developing a long-term water protection plan to present to the 90th state Legislature in January.