Everyone understands their need for water, but it's rare that someone from east of the MS and even west of it a little way, understands the difference between water supply in the West and where they are from. I'd never heard of a water attorney before moving to Colorado.
You can't just pop a well in anywhere without significantly more permitting than back East and even then there's the possibility of no water, or insufficient water, regardless how deep you drill. Some regions much worse than others. The tap fees onto county or city water are something that is unexpected also. I'm not sure what it is everywhere but in my home community in Southern IL it was under $500 when I did it in the mid 90s. When I moved to CO in mid 2000s, a new house was paying thousands to tie in based off their calculated use.
Folks in the east are used to building ponds wherever they feel like it on their property. That doesn't always fly here unless you own rights to the water in a basin that you are holding water up in. Owning the land is not equivalent to owning water rights. That surface water may well belong to someone downstream. You may think you'll do whatever you want on your land but damn up water flow from someone downstream that has senior water rights and you'll soon learn it's not your water. Ask Colorado about its South Republican Management Area. I believe that's where Kansas challenged them in court and CO was forced to release the water in their existing reservoir.
Also, If you don't use the water rights that you own, they can be taken. I don't know all the legal dealings required but you don't use it, you can lose it.
Water is a big deal everywhere, but it's taken for granted in places with plenty.