What happened: Vander Ranch residents Rick Chittum and Shannon Baucom spoke with KWEL to express frustration over ongoing water and sewer problems in their neighborhood.

Why it matters: Resident criticism has largely been focused on Midland County Judge Terry Johnson, a target questioned during the interview. Residents argue the county should not have allowed development without water infrastructure. (Editor’s note: Texas law gives counties little power to stop projects once a plat is approved.)

The bottom line:
Chittum said he was led to believe his home would have City of Midland water and sewer service through a cooperative-style agreement, though he did not clarify who provided that information. He said they believed the neighborhood would have a cop-op-like agreement with the City of Midland. Instead, Vander Ranch relies on private utility systems operated by Park Water and Park Sewer. He added that residents are considering a class action lawsuit, though it remains unclear what the legal claim would be or against whom it would be filed.