Polygamist Cult Spars With Water Regulators

A secretive polygamist cult is petitioning authorities to expand its water supply at a compound in South Dakota.

 Known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the cult was previously run by Warren Jeffs, who is serving out a life sentence for “two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child,” the San Antonio Express-News reported. Jeffs had claimed that the underage girls were his wives.

 Warren’s brother, Seth Jeffs, now holds the position of water operator for the sect. He contacted authorities in an effort to obtain more water for one of the group’s compounds.

 “[He] originally asked authorities if the compound could triple its intake. A written objection from the Water Rights Branch of the National Park Service noted that increase would be enough to serve 4,372. Meanwhile, Jeffs claimed he wasn't sure how many people live on the 140-acre compound near Pringle where he spends nearly all his time,” the Daily Mail reported.

 The feds withdrew their opposition after the group lowered the amount of water it was requesting. “After opposition arose from numerous entities and individuals, the compound lowered its request to a maximum of 200 gallons per minute,” Rapid City Journal reported.

But after a vote by the South Dakota Water Management Board in July, the group’s request was not granted. The board said it wants more details on the request. Seth Jeffs did not provide sufficient information about the organization and its compound, the Associated Press reported.

 The group “will have to provide South Dakota regulators with more information before they will decide whether to allow the sect to draw water more quickly at a compound in the Black Hills,” the report said.

 Little is known about the compound. “Surrounded by impenetrable walls on a dead end road and featuring an intimidating watchtower at its periphery, the facility outside Pringle is one of a handful that Jeffs' thousands of followers call home,” the Daily Mail reported.

 Attorneys for the group and an opposing landowner had previously fought over whether “evidence about the group's faith and background is relevant to whether regulators should grant the request,” the AP reported in an earlier piece.

 Attorney Michael Hickey, who represents the landowner, argued “that the group's practices are relevant to see whether it's in the public's interest to grant the application,” the report said.

 “Other FLDS members live in the sister communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., and also in enclaves in Colorado and British Columbia, Canada. The sect, which broke away from mainstream Mormonism, is known for practicing polygamy and for the crimes of its leaders including Warren Jeffs,” Rapid City Journal reported.