§ 46-613 — Ground water; declaration of policy; preference in use

Preference in the use of ground water shall be given to those using the water for domestic purposes. They shall have preference over those claiming it for any other purpose. Those using the water for agricultural purposes shall have the preference over those using the same for manufacturing or industrial purposes.
As used in this section, (1) domestic use of ground water shall mean all uses of ground water required for human needs as it relates to health, fire control, and sanitation and shall include the use of ground water for domestic livestock as related to normal farm and ranch operations and (2) agricultural purposes shall include, but not be limited to, aquaculture as defined in section 2-3804.01 .

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1957, c. 199, § 1, p. 701; Laws 1963, c. 279, § 1, p. 835; Laws 1995, LB 871, § 4. Annotations: Defendant liable in damages for withdrawal of irrigation ground water resulting in loss of artesian pressure in plaintiffs' adjacent domestic use wells. Prather v. Eisenmann, 200 Neb. 1, 261 N.W.2d 766 (1978). The use of ground water by a municipality for human needs is a public use. Metropolitan Utilities Dist. v. Merritt Beach Co., 179 Neb. 783, 140 N.W.2d 626 (1966).