SERVICES

CONSULTING

Hydrogeology

WaterBank® has conducted many quantitative groundwater studies. Using our proprietary Thermonic geophysical methods, WaterBank® has carried out groundwater exploration projects throughout the United States, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Ecuador. WaterBank® also conducts reservoir leak-detection surveys of ponds and reservoirs using our proprietary ZETA-SP methods.

Hydrogeochemisty

WaterBank® works with bottling companies, municipalities, farmers, and attorneys to analyze the hydrogeochemisty of water throughout the country to determine its suitability for a proposed use. All samples are collected following necessary protocols and precautions. We commonly analyze for Safe Drinking Water Act analytes, pharmaceuticals, PFAS compounds, CFCs, and radioisotopes including Carbon-13, Carbon-14, Deuterium, Tritium, and others. 

Water Supply Projects

WaterBank® has decades of experience identifying and acquiring water resources through our brokerage, and groundwater exploration services. Our water supply clients have included municipalities, land developers, mining and oil and gas companies.

Spring System Analysis

The use of water from springs requires determination of the sustainability of the supply and the quantification of the volume of water in net positive storage that feeds springs. WaterBank® personnel have carried out the quantitative analysis of more than 70 spring systems worldwide.

Oil and Gas, Water Supplies, and Disposal Wells

WaterBank® has worked with the Oil and Gas industry in New Mexico to locate water sources for frack water and for water rights to offset the depletion of water on surface-water streams.

WATER BROKERAGE

Water Rights Brokerage & Title Services

WaterBank® is a licensed real estate brokerage and escrow company. We handle water-rights transactions from start to finish. Our brokers offer years of experience and an extensive knowledge of both water rights and the history of the properties with water rights. Clients include:

  • Agricultural, Commercial, Municipal and Domestic Water Rights
  • Bulk and Bottled Water Facilities

Bulk & Bottled Water 


WaterBank® handles bulk and bottled-water supply and sales. For clients interested in selling bulk water, our team will work to verify the necessary production capacity, costs, and applicable safety standards.

For bottlers interested in selling repeat truckloads of palletized bottled water, WaterBank® can negotiate sales with potential buyers, including Federal and State agencies, disaster relief agencies, importers, exporters, and major food supply chains.

Drought & Disaster Relief

For agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, and related entities, WaterBank® can assist in the identification of bulk supplies, purchase negotiation, and supply-chain management for timely delivery of bulk water for drought and disaster relief. WaterBank® worked in this capacity for FEMA and the States of Texas and Florida during Hurricanes Wilma and Katrina.

LITIGATION SUPPORT & EXPERT TESTIMONY

WaterBank’s Founder and Trustee, Dr. William Turner, has 50 years of experience as an expert witness, plaintiff, defendant and amici in more than 80 cases before state and federal administrative agencies, and state and federal district, appeals, and supreme courts.

WaterBank® personnel have participated in more than a thousand projects over the years relating to quantification, validation and valuation of water rights, and historical and international water law.

Areas of expertise include:

  • Hydrogeology
  • Hydrogeochemistry
  • Spring Hydraulics
  • Aquifer Hydraulics
  • Groundwater Exploration
  • Photogeology
  • Photogrammetry
  • Water Law
  • History of Water Law
  • Land Tenure Systems
  • Land Title Expertise

WATER RIGHTS

Validation

WaterBank® examines the aerial photographic records of public and private sources, tax records and historical documents to determine the validity of a client’s water-rights claim. This process often involves historical research, title searches and reports, and preparation of chains-of-title through analysis of deeds and records that contain information on past water and land use.

Though we follow the same process used by State Engineers (“OSE”) and water courts, any WaterBank® audit is advisory. Only a determination by a court, a government water authority, or the State Engineer can be conclusive. Still, our Water Rights Validation Audits agree closely with State Engineer audits and greatly facilitate the validation by relevant authorities.

Valuation

WaterBank® performs valuations of water supplies worldwide. The valuation of water resources is complex and requires multidisciplinary capabilities that may involve the following steps:

  • Hydrological analysis of the sustainable quantity and quality of the subject water.
  • Demand analysis to determine market demand and supply need.
  • Value analysis to determine the water’s value across a variety of uses.
  • Political analysis to gauge the political landscape that could cause specific use proposals to be accepted or rejected.
  • Legal analysis of whether subject water is legally available.

Maintenance

It is common for regulatory agencies to fail to file, misfile, or lose paperwork. Clients may miss filing deadlines. WaterBank® can correct for such errors by ensuring that client water rights are up to date with regulatory authorities. As a service, WaterBank® will keep client water files up to date with state, local, and federal agencies.

WaterBank® prepares and files deeds and corrected deeds, changes of ownership, proofs of well completions, proofs of beneficial use, releases of water rights from mortgages and other documents.