As the fight over Electro Purification’s proposed water permit starts to boil, representatives from the Houston-based firm Monday sought to keep Hays County out of the fray.

Despite hours of deliberation, the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) is opting to wait until October to determine who will be a part of the EP permit battle.

Monday’s hearing in Austin is the latest chapter in the EP saga. The water firm is seeking a permit from the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Con...