San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is a municipally owned utility serving 1.3 million people in a semi-arid climate. The Edwards Aquifer, which stretches more than 8,000 square miles and 500 feet below the surface, is the primary source of water for Central Texas, including the rapidly growing city of San Antonio.
Conservation programs were initiated by the City of San Antonio in 1994 as part of a long-term water supply plan that included conservation as part of new supplies. A dedicated revenue stream was established that year for residential conservation programs with the goal of steadily reducing gallons per capita usage in the community.
In 1998, members of the business community requested that commercial conservation meter fees be established to assist them in conservation efforts. Since conservation programs began, $65 million has been collected and invested into conservation efforts that encompass all classes of water usage. The result: SAWS serves a population that has grown 37 percent in 20 years, but with the same amount of water.
Conservation efforts include incentives and rebates, outreach and education, and reasonable regulations that reflect the community desire for water efficiency. Each year programs are designed and evaluated to lower the gallons per capita amount by one percent over time. Meeting this goal currently requires a savings of 550 million gallons a year.
Commercial conservation
Although commercial customers make up only 10 percent of SAWS customer base, they account for 50 percent of annual water usage. The commercial Large-Scale Retrofit Rebate program provides economic incentives in the form of rebates to businesses that convert to water saving equipment and practices.
Examples include:
• Replacing water cooled with air-cooled equipment
• Installing process water reclamation systems
• Capturing air conditioning condensate and reusing it
• Eliminating water intensive phases of manufacturing
• Modifying cooling towers
• Upgrading industrial laundry equipment
• Improving cleaning processes
Residential conservation
Programs including Kick the Can, WaterSaver Landscape, and the Seasonal Irrigation Program foster water conservation by providing incentives to San Antonio residents in the form of rebates and conservation audits.
• Through Kick the Can up to two high-efficiency toilets are distributed free of charge to qualified SAWS customers. Since the program began in 1994 over 100,000 toilets have been distributed.
• WaterSaver Lane and the WaterSaver Landscape Rebate focus on promoting landscapes with drought tolerant plants and efficient irrigation. Residents can attend landscape workshops offered in cooperation with partners like the Bexar County Master Gardeners, or visit the popular WaterSaver Lane at the San Antonio Botanical Garden where homeowners can get ideas on landscape that save water and look great.
• The Seasonal Irrigation Program (SIP) provides free landscape irrigation advice to homeowners around San Antonio. Personalized e-mails give weather-based irrigation advice for each grass type.
For future savings SAWS is looking to change the way new construction uses water. The voluntary WaterSaver Builder program is being adopted by several area builders. This effort in cooperation with local Green Build organizations and the Greater San Antonio Builder’s Association has resulted in the first Green Parade of Homes event in San Antonio. Demonstration homes will not only showcase quality flooring, countertops and walls, but also water saving fixtures and landscapes.
For more information on SAWS Conservation programs visit www.saws.org/conservation or call (210) 704-SAVE.