Leonel Alonzo Jr., 11, climbs on his father's truck to place a hose in a 300 gallon tank on Dec. 7, 2019. Leonel Alonzo, 50, has been getting water from the spigot for four years. People wait in line for hours to gather water from the last remaining water spigot in Travis County. Some residents in places such as Las Lomitas have been without running water for about 20 years. The county announced in August they were raising the rates, at that time it was even more. The 4,700% is from the latest iteration approved this week, along with the March 1 timeframe.
Jose Hernandez, 54, was the first person in line at Precinct 4 to gather water from the last remaining spigot in Travis County on Dec. 7, 2019. Hernandez got in line at 4 a.m. even though the facility doesn't open until 7:15 a.m. because he has to go to work afterward. Hernandez lives in Las Lomitas and gathers 800 gallons of water at least once a week.
People wait in line for hours to gather water from the last remaining water spigot in Travis County which is located at Precinct 4.
Jose Ruiz, 54, leaves his house at 7 a.m. to gather water from the spigot at Precinct 4 on Dec. 11, 2019. Ruiz has used the spigot for about 20 years. Ruiz lives in Las Lomitas and like his neighbors, he doesn't have running water to his home and relies on the spigot for water.
Jose Ruiz, 54, waits as water drains from a cistern into a well. The whole process takes hours.
Gilberto Romero, 37, removes an electric pump after transferring water from one tank to another on Dec. 7, 2019, in Austin, Texas. Romero lives in Las Lomitas with his wife. Romero has gathered water from the spigot at Precinct 4 for 10 years, his wife has gathered water for about 20 years.
The colonia of Las Lomitas has unpaved roads and most of the residents are without running water.
Gilberto Romero, 37, lives in Las Lomitas with his wife Juanita Soto, 49. Romero has gathered water from the spigot at Precinct 4 for 10 years, his wife has gathered water for about 20 years. Romero uses an electric pump to transfer water from one tank to another.
Juanita Soto, 49, organizes Christmas decorations as her nephew, Fernando Acosta, 19, cooks fajita meat on Dec. 8, 2019. Soto has lived in Las Lomitas for about 20 years. Soto is one of many residents who have lived in the community without running water. She and others depend on a spigot to gather water for their homes.
Some residents in Las Lomitas have been without running water for about 20 years.
Brandon Herschap, owner and operator of Herschap Backhoe & Ditching, front left, works with underground utility workers, Juan Castillo, middle, Juan Ortiz and John Ramirez to install a metal casing that will protect PVC pipe under Farm-to-Market Road 1625 near Coulver Road on Jan. 14, 2020, in Austin, Texas. The pipe will connect Las Lomitas with water.
Dennis Dorsett, owner of Dennis Dorsett Ditching, conducted a customer service inspection on four households to make sure pipes were correctly connected before unlocking water meters. Residents of the colonia Las Lomitas have been waiting for running water for 20 years. The owner of the home said she's only used the bathtub once in 10 years.
Utility workers of Dennis Dorsett Ditching install the first four water meters in the Las Lomitas community on Jan. 24, 2020.
Keith Corbell, an operator at Dennis Dorsett Ditching, helps install the first four water meters in the Las Lomitas community on Jan. 24, 2020.
Ignacio Garcia , left, Juan Mascorro, center, and Marco Escalante dig trenches to install waterlines to their home in Las Lomitas on Feb. 1, 2020. Yahir Escalante, 4, and his mother watch his father and others work. The residents had to run their own lines from Creedmoor-Maha Water meters. The project pictured took two full days to complete. The men ran a total of 1,100 feet of pipe to four homes.
Yahir Escalante, 4, and his mother watch his father and others work on installing a waterline on Feb. 1, 2020. The community has been without running water for about 20 years. The residents had to run their own lines from Creedmoor-Maha Water meters to their homes.
Residents of the colonia Las Lomitas have been waiting for running water for 20 years. Four households became some of the first families to have water turned onto their homes on Feb. 4, 2020
Marco Escalante and Maria Vega walk home after opening a water valve that will connect water to their home for the first time on Feb. 4, 2020. Escalante has lived in the home for 20 years and Vega for 10 years. Vega said she's only been able to use her bathtub once. Residents of the colonia Las Lomitas have been waiting for running water for 20 years.
Julia Escalante, 20, catches a ride back to her home after opening a water valve that will run water to her home for the first time on Feb. 4, 2020. "It feels good. Finally we have water," Escalante said. She joked and said the first thing she's going to do is take an hour long shower.
Oswaldo Gael Escalante, 1, reaches for his mother as she turns on the water to their kitchen faucet for the first time on Feb. 4, 2020. . Four households became some of the first families to have water turned onto their homes. Escalante's family has lived in the colonia for 10 years.
Oswaldo Gael Escalante, 1, plays with running water from the kitchen faucet for the first time on Feb. 4, 2020.
Lucero Meza and her son, Oswaldo Gael Escalante, 1, turn on the water to their kitchen faucet on Feb. 4, 2020. This is the first time the family has had running water to their home while living in Las Lomitas. The colonia has been waiting for running water for 20 years. Even though Meza and her family finally have water, this is not the end of water issues for Las Lomitas. Many residents will continue to be without water because they have to install personal water lines to their homes from a water meter, costing hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the distance of their home from the meter.