BIG SPRING, Texas - August 11, 2011 - 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 doesn'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, ncluding 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," says Grant. "There was a fella over in Midland that I heard made the comment that at least he gets to drink his beer twice now."