San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will shut off service to businesses that continue to skirt ongoing water restrictions, officials with the utility said during a Texas Public Radio interview.
“There are a couple properties out there that we’ve given them a citation, we’ve communicated with them, and we’re not seeing change,” SAWS Vice President of Water Conservation Karen Guz told TPR last week. “We’re preparing to let them know that another tool we have in ordinance is discontinuing service.”
SAWS Communications Manager Anne Hayden clarified Guz’s statement in comments to the Express-News, explaining that the threat is directed solely at commercial properties. Moreover, crews would only cut service for irrigation meters, meaning the businesses violating restrictions would still would have indoor plumbing.
Businesses caught the first time violating water restrictions will be asked to sign a document promising to follow the rules going forward, Guz told TPR. However, repeat violators face having their outdoor irrigation systems cut off for at least two weeks.
SAWS’ crackdown comes as Edwards Aquifer levels remain about 30 feet below where they should be during normal times. Due to the drought gripping South Texas, San Antonio has been under Stage 2 water restrictions since April 2022, according to KSAT.
Under Stage 2 restrictions, outdoor watering is only permitted once weekly from 7-11 a.m. or 7-11 p.m. on designated days that correspond with a customer’s address.
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This article appears in Aug 23 – Sep 5, 2023.
