Wells in western South Dakota are drying up, leading to water shortages for both homes and ranches. Gordon and Connie Howie, who live on a cattle ranch in central Pennington County, are among those affected. They now rely on bottled water for drinking and have set up jugs of fresh water around their home for daily use. Recently, they spent $17 to fill a 1,300-gallon tank for their 150 Texas longhorn cattle. Gordon, a former state legislator and gubernatorial candidate in 2010, says he has never seen the area this dry, hot, or long. The water shortage is most severe in areas not connected to municipal or rural water systems. Experts attribute the problem to several years of low winter snowfall and limited rainfall, combined with rising water use. These conditions have caused a decline in underground aquifers, a critical water source for the Black Hills region. High temperatures during the summer of 2026 have worsened the situation, increasing the demand for water by people, crops, and animals. Residents who rely on shallow wells—typically 1,000 feet deep or less—are being forced to find alternative water sources. Some are using self-serve water stations, which are busier than usual this summer. These stations, located in places like Black Hawk, Deadwood, and Rapid City, allow users to insert money into a vending machine to access a water spout. In Rapid City, the only bulk water source is at J&J Asphalt, where long waits are common. Ralph Bifulco, 62, lives in Ashland Heights, where drinking water wells were found to be contaminated with PFAS, a group of chemicals linked to health concerns. He drives to J&J Asphalt daily to fill a 550-gallon tank for $7.50. Many rural residents are turning to water delivery services, which require advance planning and added costs. Businesses like Frontier Water in Rapid City are extremely busy, with most deliveries going to provide water for people and cattle. While an average household uses about 150 to 200 gallons of water per day, many are reducing their usage due to the drought. Mark Anderson, an adjunct geology professor at South Dakota Mines, says the Black Hills region is experiencing a precipitation shortage that is slowing the recharge of underground aquifers. Combined with the number of wells being drilled, the lack of rain and snow is raising concerns about the long-term ability of aquifers to meet the needs of a growing population. A recent U.S. Geological Survey study found that water use in some parts of the Black Hills is outpacing the rate at which aquifers are refilling. To avoid future water shortages, the Howies plan to drill a new, deeper well to replace their 30-foot well, which has run dry. They will continue using a reverse osmosis system to purify the well water for drinking and other uses. Before selecting a site for the new well, they have hired a "witcher" to use divining rods in a practice called dowsing, in hopes of finding underground water. Gordon Howie expects the project to be expensive, with drilling costing about $100 per foot and a new pump potentially costing between $20,000 and $50,000. Until then, he'll continue his twice-weekly trips to collect water.