Cities have been buying out farms for years now. They can buy a single farm with water rights, then drain the aquifer over the next 10-20 years. Every other family that depends on that aquifer gets screwed, with wells that dry up.

The western water laws are enshrined in states constitutions. It's going to get a lot worse before the laws are changed.

Just one example: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2016/07/06/el-paso-wa...