Big Spring , Texas ( CNN ) -- Desperate times call for a tall , cool glass of creativity in this patch of West Texas where water is scarce and quickly disappearing . But a plan to pump millions of new gallons of drinking water into the system has many people across West Texas holding their noses . This week construction started on a $ 13 million water-reclamation facility . That 's a fancy way of describing a treatment plant that will turn sewage wastewater into drinking water . `` That 's not something I even want to think about , '' said Eunice Thixton , a Big Spring resident . `` It really does n't sound too good . '' There are three major reservoirs that provide drinking water for half a million people who live around Midland , Texas . But the drought is draining those lakes and threatens to create major water shortages in the months ahead . This is an age-old problem in the dust-hardened landscape of West Texas . For decades , oil has flowed strongly out of the ground here , but the hunt for water is a more difficult game . This is where John Grant comes in . He 's the director of the Colorado River Municipal Water District , a government agency providing water for cities and towns including Odessa , Midland , Stanton , Big Spring and Snyder . Grant is essentially the salesman of the water-reclamation project . Basically he has to reassure people they 're not going to be drinking their own urine . `` I see a lot of humor in it , '' Grant said . `` There was a fella over in Midland that I heard made the comment that at least he gets to drink his beer twice now . '' Twelve years ago , Grant thought it was crucial to develop new sources of drinking water . Water reclamation was gaining in popularity ; the specially treated wastewater is most often used to supply water for industrial uses and watering landscapes , like golf courses . Grant says water-reclamation technology has improved greatly and will be a vital part of providing drinking water for parts of the country struggling to keep reservoirs full . The water-reclamation process involves a complex series of treatment . The water will be disinfected , de-mineralized , disinfected again and mixed with water from the reservoir and then re-treated again . `` We live in a drought-prone area . You need to look at other alternatives , and that 's the unique thing about this , '' said Grant . One of the reservoirs that provide water is EV Spence near the town of Robert Lee . The lake is on the only source of drinking water for the town of 1,000 people . That lake is at less than 1 % of capacity . Deep , dried-out crevices are easily visible across the lake bottom . When full , the water in the EV Spence Reservoir can be 83 feet deep . Today , there are only splotches of water across the dried-out land . Robert Lee Mayor John Jacobs says the lake will stop providing water in the next six months . He does n't have the budget to build a water-reclamation plant , but the mayor wishes he could build one of these plants even if it does n't sit well with residents . `` I think that 'll be the coming for all of us in the desert Southwest , '' Jacobs said . `` Turn the water off and see how long it takes for people to get thirsty . '' The Big Spring Water Reclamation Plant will be finished by late next year . John Grant says the plant will provide 2 million gallons of new water for his sprawling district . On average , the Colorado River Municipal Water District provides 65 million gallons of water every day . But if drought conditions continue into next year , that water supply will have to be cut down to about 45 million gallons a day . There are also plans to develop two other water reclamation plants in the area , and Grant says when all three plants are finished , they could provide 20 % of the area 's drinking water . Grant has heard all the jokes such as , `` People are drinking pee . '' And they get more unappealing than that one . But not only does Grant say the water will be safe to drink , he says it will actually taste better than West Texas ' notoriously bad-tasting water . `` It will actually go through three water treatment processes before it gets back into the water system , '' Grant said . `` It really will be good-quality water . '' Grant says he 'll be more than happy to be the first person in West Texas to pour himself a cold glass of wastewater-turned-drinking-water .
In drought-stricken West Texas , wastewater is seen by some as a vital resource . Construction begins this week on a $ 13 million water-reclamation facility . Despite perceptions , one small-town mayor says wastewater may be the wave of the future . Score: 6