Johnson City Mayor Stephanie Fisher detailed the city's water crisis and short-term rental surge in an episode of The Building Texas Show published May 27, 2026. The podcast, hosted by Justin McKenzie, highlights the challenges facing this Hill Country community of approximately 540 residential single-family water connections.
Fisher explained that Johnson City relies solely on the Ellenberger Aquifer for drinking water, despite sitting on the Pedernales River. The city holds a 200 acre-foot permit from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) for river water but cannot use it without costly infrastructure investments. A pending pumpage permit increase before the Blanco Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District has become a point of contention due to previous administrative decisions. Fisher noted, "There was some previous administrations that made some decisions. I think they put the cart before the horse, and that's causing us to have some questions asked."
Compounding the water issue, short-term rentals like Airbnb now account for 67 of the 540 residential connections, reducing housing availability for residents. Fisher sees a hotel, ideally on the river, as a key solution to alleviate housing pressure and generate tax revenue. "A hotel would be the single biggest unlock for both housing and tax base," she said.
The podcast also explores Johnson City's tourism assets, including the Science Mill, the LBJ National Historic Park, the Old Settlement, the Exotic Resort Zoo, and the annual fair and rodeo. Despite being on Highway 290, many visitors pass through without staying overnight. Fisher aims to convert that through-traffic into overnight tourism dollars.
The broader context is the Hill Country's affordability crisis and dependence on aquifer recharge in 15-year rainfall cycles, contrasting with 100-year water planning in cities like Midland and Lubbock. The episode is available on YouTube and podcast platforms.
