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>> >> ROCHA-GARCIA: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, WELCOME TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE FOR MAY 27, 2025. WE WILL START WITH A ROLL CALL.
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL START OFF WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 22, MUNICIPAL
UTILITIES COMMITTEE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION MADE.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL, ALL IN FAVOR SAY
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES, AND OUR ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY, VERY IMPORTANT ONE, WITH THE RAIN, ACTUALLY, RIGHT, THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS, SUPPLY AND DEMAND MANAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM PLANS, WE'LL KICK IT OFF WITH ROBERT PUENTE, MR. PUENTE, IT'S ALL YOURS,THANK YOU. >> PUENTE: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS Y'ALL, AND BEFORE I CONTINUE WITH MY REMARKS, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE THREE OF Y'ALL THAT ARE COMING OFF COUNCIL.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THE THREE OF Y'ALL. COUNCILMAN COURAGE, I KNOW AT DIFFERENT TIMES YOU ASKED VERY, VERY HARD QUESTIONS, BUT ALL THAT DID WAS MAKE US BETTER, MAKE US BE MORE PREPARE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND ADD DRINK ANNA, YOUR QUESTIONS WERE REPETITIVE, NOT REPETITIVE, LIKE MACHINE GUN, QUESTION AFTER QUESTION AFTER QUESTION. AND AGAIN, MAKING US MORE PREPARED. MELISSA, YOU ARE ALSO VERY INTUITIVE IN THE THINGS THAT YOU WANTED US TO DO AND YOU SOUGHT US TO DO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, SORRY FOR USING YOUR FIRST NAMES, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, AGAIN, I KNOW YOU'RE COMING BACK, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK, I KNOW THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS UNIQUE, WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND HOW IS IT GOING TO AFFECT THEM, SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US ON PAR WITH THAT. AND COUNCILMAN WHYTE, I KNOW YOU MET RECENTLY WITH OUR CHAIRWOMAN, AND BRINGING UP LOST WATER, AND THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US, AND AS YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO GET THAT ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF, BROKEN PIPES, LEAKING PIPES, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, THE GROWTH WE'RE EXPERIENCING CAUSED A BIG NEED OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND SUSTAINED CAPITAL INVESTMENT SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ALSO. WITH THAT, MAYOR'S HAVING A MEETING ACROSS THE STREET, AND I'M OFF TO THAT, I WILL PUT YOU IN THE HANDS OF STEPHEN SEVER. HE HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO PRESENT, BUT I GUARANTEE AFTER YOU'RE DONE, YOU'LL LEARN A LOT, AND HE HAS A YOUNUNIQUE WAY OF PRESENTING,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM STEPHEN, AS MR. PUENTE SAID, IT'S A PRIVILEGE -- THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I AM ONE OF THE MANAGERS IN THE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S OUR PRIVATE THIS MORNING AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TO REVIEW THE SEVERITY OF OUR CURRENT DROUGHT, LONG-TERM PLANNING TO MEET OUR WATER NEEDS OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS, THANK YOU FOR PLANNING A DROUGHT BRIEFING, SO WE'VE HAD TWO.5" OF RAIN, LET'S DO THIS AGAIN REALLY SOON SO WE CAN GET MORE RAIN ADDED.
I'M GOING TO START, LET'S SEE, TO ADVANCE THROUGH HERE, OR IS IT TOUCH SCREEN? THAT'S OKAY. . TECHNOLOGY.
>> IT WAS WORKING LIKE TEN MINUTES AGO. >> THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE.
APPRECIATE THAT. >> SO SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
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BRINGING THAT BACK. THIS IS THE US DROUGHT MONITOR.THIS IS PUT OUT EVERY WEEK, LOOKING AT VARIOUS WEATHER AND RAINFALL CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND IT RANGES FROM THE WHITE AREAS WHERE THERE'S NO DROUGHT TO THE DARK MAROON WHICH IS THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT CATEGORY CALLED EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BEXAR COUNTY IS IN THE HEART OF THAT IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT.
2025 REPRESENTS OUR SIX YEAR OF DROUGHT. MAY ON AVERAGE IS HISTORICALLY WETTEST MONTH WITH OVER FOUR INCHES OF RAINFALL, AND BEFORE YESTERDAY'S RAIN, WE ONLY HAD 1900THS OF AN INCH, WHICH WAS ABOUT 14% OF THE MONTHLY AVERAGE. YESTERDAY, WE HAD ALMOST 2.5 INE AIRPORT, WE'RE NOW UP TO 65% OF OUR MONTHLY AVERAGE FOR MAY. IF WE DON'T RECEIVED A ADDITIONAL RAINFALL THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE MONTH, THIS WILL BE OUR TENTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH OF BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL GOING BACK TO AUGUST OF 2024.
MEANWHILE, HALF THE STATE IN THE NORTH AND THE EAST ARE NOT UNDER ANY DROUGHT CONDITIONS, AND THEY'RE VERY FORTUNATE. IT'S SAN ANTONIO RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART THAT'S IN THE DARK MAROON THAT IS IN THE WORST OF THE DROUGHT, AND SINCE 2020, WHEN THIS DROUGHT BEGAN, WE HAVE THIS RAINFALL DEFICIT OF 55 INCHES. SO WE WOULD NEED ABOUT ANOTHER 25 RAIN5 EVENTS LIKE YESTERDAY JUST TO PULL US BACK TO AVERAGE CONDITIONS. THIS IS A GRAPH OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER MONITORING WELL, MONITORING LEVEL CALLED J17, AND IT'S LOCATED AT FORT SAM. THE GRAPH TRACKS IN T1950S DROUGHT OF RECORD AGAINST THE CURRENT DROUGHT IN BLUE. WE USE THE 1950S DROUGHT OF RECORD BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT IN THE STATE'S HISTORY WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO AGRICULTURE AND WATER SUPPLY. AS WE CAN SEE, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER CURRENT WATER LEVELS IS TRACKING CLOSELY TO THE RECORD IN THE 1950S.
SINCE THE START OF THIS YEAR, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY HAD PERMIT HOLDERS, LIKE SAWS, UNDER STAGE 4 CRITICAL PERIOD REDUCTIONS, WHICH WAS AT 5% CURTAILMENT OFF OF OUR PERMIT. JUST LAST WEEK THE TEN DAY AVERAGE OF THIS INDEXED DROPPED FURTHER DOWN TO STAGE FIVE, THE LOWEST AND MOST SEVERE CATEGORY OF A 44% CURTAILMENT, AND THE MONTHLY AVERAGE IS 40 FEET BELOW THE HISTORICAL AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME. THIS YEAR, SAWS MAINTAINS ABOUT 257,000 ACRE FEET OF PERMITTED EDWARDS AQUIFER SUPPLIES.
WE ARE FORECASTING ABOUT A 40% CRITICAL PERIOD REDUCTION OFF OF THAT PERMIT, WHICH IS OVER 100,000 ACRE FEET, THAT IS MORE WATER THAN THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI USES IN A YEAR, AND THAT IS ABOUT 70% OF THE TOTAL WATER NEEDS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. SO THIS IS ABOUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THIS IS ABOUT AS BAD AS A DROUGHT CAN GET, WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING TODAY, AND THIS IS WHAT TOGETHER, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR IN THE FUTURE.
THIS -- WE HAVE OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL ON THIS. OUR 2025 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN IS OUR GUIDING DOCUMENT TO MEET THE LONG-TERM WATER NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IT INCORPORATES CHANGES IN POPULATION, WATER DEMAND PATTERNS, REGULATIONS, WATER SUPPLY INVENTORY, AND CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC INPUT, AND TOGETHER THIS PROVIDE A GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AT THE TURN OF THE 21ST CENTURY, SAWS WAS 100% RELIANT ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER TO MEET OUR CUSTOMER NEEDS, WITH THE CREATION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY TO PROTECT FLOW, OUR COMMUNITY INVESTED IN
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DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL DIVERSIFIED WATER SUPPLIED, IN OCTOBER OF 2000, THE WASTEWATER SUPPLY FEE WAS CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL WITH A FIVE YEAR INCREASE TO HELP FUND THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR DIVERSIFIED WATER SUPPLIES TO REDUCE RELI RELIANCE ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. THIS PIE CHART SHOWS PRODUCTION OF SAWS SUPPLIES AT THE END OF LAST YEAR WITH 52% ORIGINATING WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, WHICH HAS BEEN, IS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SAWS CORNER STONE SUPPLY. TODAY SAWS HAS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX, DIVERSIFIED AND INNOVATIVE WATER SUPPLY PORTFOLIOS IN THE NATION CONSISTING OF 13 WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS FROM 7 DIFFERENT WATER SOURCES. THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE SAWS SERVICE AREA POPULATION FROM 2013 TO 2024. IN 2013, SAWS SERVED 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE GROWING TO 2.1 MILLION LAST YEAR, OR AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 450,000 PEOPLE. HOW DID WE PLAN SUPPLIES TO MEET NOT ONLY INCREASING CUSTOMER DEMAND, BUT TO ENSURE MEETING DEMAND DURING THE CURRENT SEVERE DROUGHT? IN THE EARLY 2000S, WE STARTED PLANNING FOR THE REGIONAL CARRIZO PROJECT WHICH CAME ONLINE IN 2013, AND TODAY IS OUR SECOND LARGEST NONEDWARDS AQUIFER SUPPLY. AS WE SAW THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES, WE ARE CONCURRENTLY PLANNING FOR THE BRACKISH DESALINATION WHICH CAME ONLINE IN 2016, VISTA RIDGE PROJECT COMING ONLINE IN 2020, OUR LARGEST NONEDWARDS SUPPLY.THIS CARTOON IS WHERE WE WERE MANY YEARS AGO WHEN GROWTH WAS VIEWED AS A BROKEN DOWN TRUCK OVERRUNNING THE -- I'M SORRY, THE GROWTH WAS VIEWED AS OVERRUNNING WATER SUPPLY, AND THE WATER SUPPLY BEING REPRESENTED AS THE BROKEN DOWN TRUCK. THIS IS A POSITION WE WILL NEVER RETURN TO.
A RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY HELPS INDUSTRY MAINTAIN PRODUCTION, PROCESSES, UPHOLD FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS AND MANAGE COSTS. IT IS THROUGH INVESTMENT FROM CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE A RESILIENT AND SECURE WATER SUPPLY INVENTORY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A GROWING POPULATION AND THRIVING ECONOMY. PAST COUNCILS APPROVED THE WATER SUPPLY FEE IN 2000, A TWO YEAR RATE ADJUSTMENT IN 2014 TO 2015 TO FUND THE BRACKISH GROUNDWATER PROJECT, AND MORE RECENTLY, THE FIVE YEAR RATE ADJUSTMENT IN 2016 TO FUND THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT. HAD WE NOT, AS A COMMUNITY, INVESTED IN A DIVERSIFIED WATER SUPPLY PORTFOLIO, WHAT WOULD THESE HEADLINES BE TODAY? BUT WE DID INVEST, AND TODAY'S HEADLINES ARE ABOUT THE CITY'S SUCCESS IN JOB CREATION. SAWS IS AN ANCHOR INSTITUTION IN OUR COMMUNITY, ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS ARE PUBLIC SERVICE ENTITIES INCLUDING HOSPITALS AND UTILITIES THAT ARE TIED TO THE ECONOMY, THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. SAWS HAS A ROLE AND IS DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE NATION BETWEEN JULY 2020 AND JULY 2023. AND THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE NATION BETWEEN JULY 2023 -- I'M SORRY, THE FOURTH FASTEST GROWING CITY BETWEEN JULY 2023 AND JULY 2024, ADDING OVER 24,000 NEW RESIDENTS, THE 2025 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN WILL START WITH A SAWS SERVICE AREA POPULATION OF JUST OVER 2 MILLION TO A 2075 FORECASTED POPULATION OF 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE ASR TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION PROJECT WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO BRING BACK UP TO 45 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY OF STORED WATER FROM THE ASR, AND TREAT UP TO 21,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR FROM THE EXPANDED LOCAL CARRIZO PROJECT. IN THE EARLY 2040S, WE WILL BRING ONLINE 20,000 ACRE FEET FROM PHASES 2 AND 3 OF THE CURRENT BRACKISH PROJECT, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, IN THE MID 2040S, WE WILL EXPAND THE RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM, WHICH UPSETS POETABLE WATER USE AND RELIANCE ON THE EDWARDS, AND FINALLY, LONG-TERM PLANNING INCLUDE AS NEW BRACKISH PROJECT CALLED THE REGIONAL PROJECT TO MEET MID CENTURY NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY INTO THE 2050S, THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROJECTS PROVIDE SAN ANTONIO WATER SECURITY THROUGH THE DRYEST OF TIMES. THE DUAL CHALLENGES OF GROWTH AND DROUGHT IMPACTS ARE STRESSING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
DURING TIMES OF HIGH TEMPERATURE AND EXTENDED DROUGHT, ADDITIONAL PRESSURE
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IS PLACED ON WATER MAINS AND SERVICE LINES DUE TO INCREASE DEMAND AND SHIFTING SOILS. THE SYSTEM IS GROWING BY OVER 12,000 CONNECTIONS PER YEAR, WHICH MULTIPLIES THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES. MAIN BREAKS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE SUMMER MONTHS. AS THIS PAST JANUARY EXCEEDED THE FIVE YEAR AVERAGE, AND MARCH AND APRIL EXPERIENCED A RECORD NUMBER OF LEAKS, SAWS MAINTAINS ABOUT 14,000 MILES OF PIPE THAT WE ACTIVELY REPAIR OR REPLACE.AGES INFRASTRUCTURE IS AN INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL ISSUE.
THE AGING PIPES OF TODAY WERE ONCE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THE PIPES PLACED IN THE GROUND TODAY WILL BE TOMORROW'S AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ARE ADDRESSING WATER LOSS AS WE ADDRESS THE CONSENT DECREE WITH THE USDA (INDISCERNIBLE) WITH THE E.P.A. TO ADDRESS SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS, THIS PROBLEM WAS SOLVED WITH TIME, PEOPLE, AND INVESTMENT. SAWS PROJECTED COST WAS $1.2 BILLION AND WE REMAINED WITHIN THAT FORECAST. OUR GOAL WAS TO BE AN INDUSTRY LEADER, AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE SSO PROGRAM. WE LIKEWISE EXPECT TO BE AN INDUSTRY LEADER IN THE WATER LOSS REDUCTION SPACE. A SIGNIFICANT OBJECTIVE OF THE 2025 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN IS TO REDUCE WATER LOSS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR WATER STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE. OUR GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE A 50% WATER LOSS REDUCTION BY 2035, JUST AS CITIES WILL ALWAYS HAVE POT HOLES TO ADDRESS, WATER UTILITIES WILL ALWAYS BE ADDRESSING WATER LOSS AS ZERO WATER LOSS IS NOT ACHIEVABLE NOR AN INDUSTRY METRIC. SAWS HAS ADDED OVER 100 CREWS TO FUND AND RESPOND TO BREAKS QUICKER. SAWS HAS INCREASED FUNDING FROM $34 MILLION ON PIPE REPLACEMENT IN 2024, TO $108 MILLION THIS YEAR, WITH A FIVE YEAR AVERAGE OF $76 MILLION THROUGH 2030. WE ARE SEEING THE INITIAL RESULTS, HAVING SAVED 2.1 BILLION GALLONS SINCE 2023, AS WITH THE SSO PROGRAM, SUCCESS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH INVESTMENT IN STAFF AND EQUIPMENT.
THE WATER SAWS IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN IN THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FROM A ROBUST WATER LOSS CONTROL PROGRAM CONSERVES WATER RESOURCES TO RESOURCE TOMEET FUTURE CUSTOMER.
TO MEET CUSTOMER DEMAND DURING EXTENDED DROUGHT, SAWS OPERATES THE LARGEST RESERVOIR OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION WHERE WE RESTORE WATER IN THE CARRIZO AQUIFER TO RECOVER DURING DROUGHT. THIS REPLACES THE VOLUME OF WATER IN STORAGE AT THE END OF EVERY MONTH SINCE THE FACILITY OPENED IN 2004. SAWS RECEIVED A RECORD STORAGE VOLUME OF OVER 198,000 ACRE FEET IN 2022 WHICH IS ENOUGH WATER TO SUPPLY SAWS CUSTOMERS FOR THREE QUARTERS OF AN AVERAGE YEAR.
THE SUCCESS OF THE ASR FACILITY PROVIDES SAWS THE OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO MAXIMIZE PERMITTED EDWARDS AQUIFER PUMPING RIGHTS, BENEFITS THE REGION BY REDUCED PRODUCTION DURING DROUGHT, HELPS PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES AND PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL DIVERSIFIED SUPPLY. THIS IS A SUPPLY AND DEMAND GRAPH. THE DEMAND LINE IS THE BLACK HORIZONTAL LINE, AND THIS SHOWS THAT WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUPPLY PROJECTS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, SAN ANTONIO IS WATER SECURE THROUGH THE DEEPEST OF DROUGHT FOR DECADES TO COME THROUGH 2075. WHILE SAWS PROGRESSIVE WATER CONSERVATION GOALS WILL HELP MODERATE THE GROWTH AND TOTAL ANNUAL DEMAND, ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES WILL BE NEEDED AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS.
WE BREAK DOWN THE 2025 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN INTO BRACKETED TIME PERIODS DESCRIBED AS THE NEAR TERM 2025 TO 2033, 2034 TO 2049, AND LONG-TERM, 2050 TO 2075.
THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PERIOD, 2075, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CONSERVATION, REDUCING WATER LOSS, AND OPTIMIZING OUR CURRENT WATER SUPPLY CONTRACTS AS THIS IS WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE SUCCESSFUL.
IN THE MID TERM, WE WILL DEVELOP PHASES TWO AND THREE OF OUR BRACKISH PROJECT, AND EVALUATE POTENTIAL REGIONAL PROJECTS, IN THE LONGER TERM, WE WILL BRING ONLINE A NEW REGIONAL WILCOX BRACKISH PROJECT WHILE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE PROJECTS BEING DEVELOPED BY REGIONAL ENTITIES, ASSISTANT THOSE MAY BE FAVORABLE AS THE BRACKISH PROGRAMS ARE UNDER OUR TIMING AND CONTROL. THIS PLAN IN TOTAL BRINGS ONLINE 74,000 ACRE FEET OF SUPPLIES AGAIN ENSURING WATER SECURITY DURING THE
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DEEPEST STAGES OF DROUGHT THROUGH 2075. SAN ANTONIO'S LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENT IN WATER CONVERSATION HAS YIELD ITS LARGEST WATER SUPPLY.THE DECREASE IN PER CAPITA USE FROM OVER 225 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY IN 19822 IS DUE TO OUR COMMUNITY EMBRACING CONSERVATION INSIDE THEIR HOME AND BEAUTIFUL LOW WATER USE LANDSCAPES. SAWS WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON WATER CONSERVATION IN THE 2025 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN BY PLANNING FURTHER REDUCTIONS DOWN TO 87 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY, BY 2075, AS SAWS CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS OF WATER CONSERVATION.
AT THIS TIME, KAREN GUZ, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSERVATION, WILL BRIEF THE
COMMITTEE ON MANAGING DEMAND DURING THE DROUGHT. >> GUZ: GOOD MORNING, STEPHEN HAS TOLD YOU A GREAT DEAL ABOUT OUR INVESTMENTS IN WATER SUPPLY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR INVESTMENTS IN WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND HOW WE'RE ADJUSTING THOSE FOR THE TIMES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS NEED TODAY, AND THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO THEM. SO THERE'S QUITE A FEW INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU ABOUT ALL OF THEM. I'LL TRY TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY. ONE OF THEM THAT WE JUST COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED WITH IS THE SUCCESS OF THE CONNECT H20 PROGRAM, THAT IS OUR CHANGEOUT OF OVER 600,000 METERS THAT WE EXPECT TO HAVE DONE BY END OF THIS YEAR. WE DIDN'T WAIT FOR ALL OF THOSE METERS TO BE IN PLACE, WE'VE BEEN TAKING THAT OUT FOR A SPIN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, SO CUSTOMERS, MOST OF THEM HAVE THEM, THEY HAVE THIS METER, IF WE'VE GOT AN E-MAIL, WE'VE GOT A MOBILE PHONE NUMBER, WE ARE USING THAT IF THEY HAVE A CONTINUOUS FLOW FOR 48 HOURS, THEY GET A MESSAGE FROM US. OFTEN THAT MESSAGE COMES BEFORE THEY HAD ANY IDEA THERE WAS A PROBLEM. MY STAFF HAS SIX PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE PHONES WHEN THEY CALL AND SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE A LEAK AT MY HOUSE? WHERE COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? 85% OF THE TIME, MY TEAM CAN TALK THEM THROUGH IT AND THEY HAVE THAT AHA MOMENT, OH, IT'S THE BACK BEDROOM TOILET OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND NOW THEY'RE CALM AND THEY CAN GET THAT ADDRESSED BEFORE THEY GET THAT BIG WATER BILL. WE'VE ALSO INVESTED A LOT IN SHIFTING TO RESILIENT LANDSCAPES OVER THE YEARS. THE NEWEST PROGRAMS STARTED IN 2014.
THE ONES THAT WE SHIFTED TO IN ORDER TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WITH A MODEL THAT GIVES PEOPLE AN UP-FRONT COUPON FOR EXAMPLE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO FRONT THE COST FOR CHANGING THEIR LANDSCAPE.
NOW, FOR PERSPECTIVE, SINCE 2014, THE LANDSCAPE COUPON AND THE REBATE FOR AN OUTDOOR LIVING AREA HAVE CHANGED OUT 4.6 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF GRASS TO MORE BEAUTIFUL AND RESILIENT LANDSCAPES. SO THESE ARE POPULAR, ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO, EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT WE SEE PEOPLE USING THESE PROGRAMS TO HAVE A MORE BEAUTIFUL RESILIENT LANDSCAPE IN THEIR HOME.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO DO ALL THE TIME IS TARGETED OUTREACH.
THE CONNECT H20 IS ONE FORM OF THAT, WHERE WE USE THAT TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.
WE'VE ALSO USED IT DURING THIS DROUGHT TO BE PROACTIVE REACHING OUT TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE IRRIGATION METERS, WHERE WE SEE A HIGH USE AND WE SEE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, AND THE SAME WITH HOMEOWNERS. RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR, WE'RE IN STAGE 3, THERE'S A HIGH USE SURCHARGE, WE'D RATHER PEOPLE DIDN'T HIT THAT, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM TO OFFER THEM HELP, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THERE ARE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM LOWER THAT USAGE AND AVOID THAT HIGHER COST.
OTHER THINGS WE DO INCLUDE A LOT OF EDUCATION IN A TIMELY WAY TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT ARE THE RULES? WE'RE IN STAGE 3. I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE AND HOW IMPACTFUL THAT'S BEEN, BUT A LOT IS TALKING TO PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW WHAT THOSE RULES ARE AND HOW THEY CAN HELP. ENFORCEMENT IS LEAST FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB WHERE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A CONSEQUENCE IN PLACE FOR THE SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE THE RULES. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE NEW RULES YOU HELPED US PUT IN PLACE, OUR ENFORCEMENT PROCESS HAS GOTTEN A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE AND SIMPLER SINCE THAT HAPPENED. SO A BIG THANK YOU TO COUNCIL ON THIS. WE CAME TO YOU LAST SUMMER, REALLY BEFORE THAT, AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE THE RULES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR WATERING DURING DROUGHT MORE FAIR AND MORE EFFECTIVE. AND YOU REALLY HELPED US THINK THROUGH WHAT THOSE SHOULD BE, AND IT HAS BEEN A BIG WIN.
WE HAVE SEEN FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU JUST COMPARE 2023 TO 2024, WE HAD 54% FEWER
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VIOLATIONS, AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE DROPPED OUR PER CAPITA DEMAND.A LOT OF THAT IS ALL OF US TALKING ABOUT IT SO MUCH IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WILL ALMOST 100 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS TO TALK ABOUT THOSE NEW WATERING RULES, AND A BIG CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE.
AND SO I CREDIT A LOT OF THAT TO PEOPLE JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING. ANOTHER BENEFIT WE SAW IS THAT WHEN WE TOOK IT OUT OF THE MUNICIPAL COURTS, IF YOU DO GET A VIOLATION, THAT BECAME AN INTERNAL SAWS PROCESS, THAT ALLOWED US TO PUT IN PLACE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS OF THIS, WHICH IS FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS, SOMETIMES THEY MADE A MISTAKE, THEY GET TO TAKE A ONE HOUR CLASS, WE SOMETIMES INTERNALLY CALL IT DEFENSIVE WATERING, BUT IT'S JUST AN HOUR, NOT 8 HOURS LIKE DRIVING, AND HALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO GET A FIRST TIME VIOLATION DECIDE TO TAKE THAT CLASS. GREAT NEWS IS ALMOST NONE OF THEM GET ANOTHER VIOLATION. SO IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING. TAKES THE TEMPERATURE DOWN WHEN THEY TALK TO US. OH, I CAN TAKE THAT CLASS, GREAT.
BUT THEY KNOW, IF THEY DO IT AGAIN, THEY WILL HAVE A CHARGE AND IT WILL GO UP TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF CHARGE. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT, REPEAT VIOLATIONS ARE DOWN 80%. ALL THE EDUCATION AND PEOPLE KNOWING IF YOU CONTINUE DOING IT, IT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE. THEY HEAR THAT.
AND THEY SEEM TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE MUCH MORE QUICKLY AND EASILY.
ALL OF THAT LEADS TO WE HAD A MUCH LOWER PER CAPITA LAST YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE PER CAPITA NOT HITTING TARGETS IN RECENT YEARS.
IT DROPPED ALL THE WAY TO 114 LAST YEAR, EVEN THOUGH THOSE NEW RULES WERE IN PLACE LESS THAN HALF THE YEAR. FINALLY, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE ANYBODY GET A VIOLATION, FOR THOSE WHO DO, WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE AN ONEROUS PROCESS, WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, BE ABLE TO TALK TO US, AND GET IT RESOLVED. THAT IS NOW HAPPENING GENERALLY MUST FASTER WITH THE COURTS. THE COURTS WERE TAKING UP TO A YEAR TO RESOLVE CASES, THEY TRIED, THEY WERE DOING THEIR BEST, BUT IT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, NOW WE RESOLVE WITHIN 30 DAYS, INCLUDING THEM HAVING 21 DAYS TO TAKE THAT CLASS.
ONE OF THE SIGNS OF SUCCESS TO ME IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CALLING US.
THEY GET THEIR NOTICE OF A VIOLATION, AND IT'S INVITING THEM, CALL, TALK TO US, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. OF THOSE WHO GET VIOLATIONS, FAR LESS THAN 1% END UP ESCALATING TO OUR CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE TO HEAR ESCALATED CASES. .2%, SO WAY LESS THAN 1% OF THE CASES GET TO THAT POINT, WHICH TELLS ME THAT PROCESS OF TALKING TO PEOPLE AND OFFERING THEM THAT WHEN TO WATER CLASS IS REALLY WORKING, AND IT'S EASIER FOR PEOPLE, AND WHEN THERE'S A FEW CASES OF LIKE A WEIRD PROPERTY LINE, THEY'RE STUNNED THAT ALL IT TOOK WAS A PHONE CALL TO US TO GET IT RESOLVED AND TAKEN AWAY AND THEN WE FLAG THEIR ACCOUNT SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING US TO GET THAT TO A MUCH BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND A BETTER OUTCOME.
NOW, WE ALSO REVISED SOME OF THE INCENTIVES THAT WE OFFER, BECAUSE WE LISTEN TO PEOPLE TO HEAR WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, PROBABLY EVERYBODY HAS DRIVEN THROUGH A PARKING LOT WHERE THEY HAVE GRASS IN THE PARKING LOT ISLANDS AND SPRAY IRRIGATION, YOU SEE THAT WATER EVERYWHERE ON THEIR DAY. WE ARE OFFERING A SPECIAL PER PARKING LOT ISLAND INCENTIVE TO STILL SUPPORT THE TREES, BUT STOP WATERING GRASS IN THE PARKING LOT, THAT'S A BIG PAIN TO TAKE CARE OF, IT'S EXPENSIVE, YOU'RE LIKELY TO HAVE WATER FLOWING EVERYWHERE. NOTABLY, IF YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THE QUARRY, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THEY'VE DONE A GREAT UPGRADE.
THEY USED TO HAVE A LOT OF SPRAY, TRYING TO SPRAY THINGS UPHILL IN THEIR PARKING LOT ISLAND. THEY'VE GOTTEN RID OF -- OF A OF THAT, IT LOOKS GREAT AND YOU NO LONGER SEE THAT OVERSPRAY. ANOTHER THING WE HAVE IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE AN IRRIGATION CONTROLLER THEY CAN UNDERSTAND.
IF ANY OF YOU HAVE A GARAGE-BASED ON THE WALL IRRIGATION SCROLLER, YOU MAY BE FRUSTRATED WITH IT. THERE ARE ONES THAT WORK ON YOUR CELL PHONE THAT SOME PEOPLE FIND MUCH MORE INTUITIVE. WE JUST PUT UP A NEW WAY TO GET ONE AT A 20% DISCOUNT JUST FOR BEING A SAWS CUSTOMER.
SO WE USED TO HAVE A COUPON PROCESS, NOW IT IS A BETTER DISCOUNT, AND THE COMPANY JUST OFFERED IT UP FOR BEING A SAWS CUSTOMER. SO WE CAN TELL PEOPLE IF CONTROLLER, YOU FIND IT CONFUSING, YOU DON'T LIKE HAVING TO MAINTAIN A BACKUP BATTERY, MAYBE CONSIDER THIS AS AN UPGRADE. AND THEN LASTLY, WE'VE UPGRADED THAT LANDSCAPE CHANGE PROGRAM, THE COUPON THAT HELPS PEOPLE GET RID OF GRASS AND CHANGE TO SOMETHING ELSE. WE ARE SUGGESTING TO PEOPLE THAT MAYBE THIS SUMMER IS NOT THE TIME TO DO A BIG LANDSCAPE CHANGE AND PUT THE
[00:30:04]
PLANTS IN. SO WE'VE OFFERED A SPECIAL INCENTIVE IF THEY WILL PREP THEIR BEDS, GET THEM READY, AND THEN HIT PAUSE BEFORE THEY PLANT.AND THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE HEARING AND LIKING.
WE WILL THROW IN AN EXTRA $25 ON TOP OF THE $125 COUPON FOR EVERY 200 SQUARE FEET. HOMEOWNERS CAN DO UP TO 4 A YEAR, THAT IS $600 IN INCENTIVES THEY CAN EARN AND NOT BE STANDING THERE IN 105° HEAT IN AUGUST HAND WATERING IT. WE'LL SEND THEM THE THE COUPONS IN FALL WHICH IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT. WE ALSO REALIZE THIS DROUGHT HAS BEEN HARD ON LANDSCAPES.
THEY DON'T LOOK THEIR BEST AFTER FIVE YEARS OF A LOT OF RAIN DEFICIT.
GRASS IN PARTICULAR IS NOT GOING TO LOOK ITS BEST. SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME FOR US TO TALK TO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATIONS, MAKE SURE THAT WE HERE EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAIR CONCERNS ARE WITH LANDSCAPES, AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE HOAMENTZS KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH DROUGHT AND KNOW WHAT INCENTIVES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO MAKE A CHANGE. WE'VE SCHEDULED FIVE MEETINGS WITH HOAS, THREE HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED. WE'VE HAD SO FAR 15 DIFFERENT HOAS COME. WE'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS, AND THEY'RE BEING VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SET SOMETHING UP AND THEN WAIT UNTIL FALL TO PLANT. THEY LIKE THAT WE HAVE 20 DIFFERENT FREE PLANTS THEY CAN TAKE A LOOK AT, AND MAYBE PRE-APPROVE SOME FOR THEIR HOMEOWNERS. IF THEY WILL WORK WITH US TO SEND OUT JUST SIMPLE BULLET POINTS TO HOMEOWNERS TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING THREE TIMES THIS SUMMER, WE'LL INCENTIVIZE THEM WITH $250 IN THE FALL FOR DOING SO.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT HOAS, OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS YOU THINK MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THAT, PLEASE SEND THEM OUR WAY. IF THEY GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THEY WILL FIND A WAY TO SIGN UP FOR -- THERE'S ANOTHER MEETING AT SAWS HEADQUARTERS, MAY 29, SO VERY SOON, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE JUNE 5TH, THAT WILL BE ONLINE. SO PLEASE LET -- HELP US OUT, LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK WITH THEM AND HELP PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING THIS DROUGHT. SO THIS BRINGS TO AN END MY COMMENTS ON OUR EFFORTS TO TALK TO PEOPLE DURING DROUGHT, AND AT THIS POINT, STEVEN AND I WOULD BE BOTH HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ASK US ANY QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE
TOPICS. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: PERFECT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, KAREN AND STEVEN, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL, AND THE UPDATE, I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH THE QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN WHYTE HAS TO LEAVE, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE SHE GETS HIS QUESTIONS IN FIRST, SO COUNCILMAN WHYTE, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.
>> WHYTE: WELL, THANK YOU, CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THAT.
BRIEFLY, TROY, HOUSEKEEPING, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A BIT, GETTING THESE SLIDE PRESENTATIONS THE NIGHT BEFORE SOME OF THESE THINGS IS REALLY -- IT HURTS OUR PREPARATION FOR THESE MEETINGS AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HERE TODAY ON THIS ONE, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER, THE B SESSIONS AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES, SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO NEW TERM, NEW COUNCIL COMING UP, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT.
IF WE CAN GET THESE THINGS EARLIER, IT WOULD DO US A LOT OF GOOD IN BEING ABLE TO PREPARE OUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FOR THESE MEETINGS, SO THANK YOU FOR MAYBE LOOKING INTO THAT FOR US. FIRST QUICKLY, ON THE WATERING RULES, EVERYTHING WORKING THERE, THE NUMBERS LOOK GREAT, SO REALLY PLEASED THAT IT LOOKS LIKE
THE EFFORTS ARE PAYING DIVIDENDS. >> YEAH, WE WERE AFTER BEING FAIR AND MORE EFFECTIVE, AND I REALLY FEEL THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED THAT.
THE FEW AREAS THAT WEREN'T SUBJECT TO THE OLD RULES NOW ARE AND THEY'VE REALLY COME AROUND PRETTY QUICKLY. ENFORCEMENT IS HAPPENING. WE HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND IN NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT REALLY WHEN THE FEW PEOPLE WE CATCH RELATIVE TO THE HUGE NUMBER WE SERVE, I THINK IT'S BEEN A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE THAN IT
WAS BEFORE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, 54% FEWER CASES IS GREAT.
FEWER REPEAT VIOLATORS, SO REALLY HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF THAT WORKING.
THE WATER LOSS, OF COURSE, I THINK IS THE MAJOR ISSUE HERE.
WE'RE LOSING FAR TOO MUCH WATER, AND MY FIRST QUESTION IS YOU SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE NO WATER LOSS. WELL, WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE
COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES? >> I'LL TRY TO APPROACH THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF OTHER CITIES, IT IS SO HARD TO COMPARE. WE HAVE DIFFERENT --
[00:35:03]
DIFFERENT NUMBERS OUT THERE, BUT WE ARE SUCH A COMPLEX AND DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAN SOME OTHERS. SOME OTHERS LIKE AUSTIN AND DALLAS AND HOUSTON, THEY HAVE MORE RAINFALL THAN US, AND SO THAT CHANGES THE SOILS, THE EVAPORATION -- I MEAN, THE CONTRACTING SOILS, BASICALLY, SO THEY HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN RAINFALL, BUT THEY'RE ALSO A MORE CENTRALIZED SYSTEM, OUR SYSTEM IS VERY FRAGMENTED, WE HAVE DIFFERENT ISOLATED SYSTEMS ALL OVER THAT ARE INTERCONNECTED, AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPARE ONE TO THE OTHER. WE'RE GENERALLY INDUSTRY STANDARD IN -- IN TERMS OF WATER LOSS. BUT, AGAIN -- YES, BUT WE ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN SOME OTHERS BECAUSE OF OUR COMPLEX SYSTEM, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PRESSURE ZONES, 60 DIFFERENT PRESSURE ZONES, 1500, 1400 FEET OF ELEVATION DIFFERENCE, SO THERE'S JUST SO MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE TYPES OF UTILITIES THAT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO SAY APPLES TOAPPLES, IT'S REALLY AN APPLES TO ORANGE COMPARISON. >> AND THE AGE OF OUR PIPES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT -- >> ALL OF THOSE ARE PLANNED INTO IT.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, REALLY THE ISSUE HAS BEEN THE CONTRACTING SOILS, THE SOILS CONTRACT AND EXPAND, ALMOST LIKE A FOUNDATION TYPE OF ISSUE, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT, STEVEN SHOWED YOU THE FIRST SLIDE, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT, WHEREAS OTHER PEOPLE ARE NOT, SO JUST EVEN THAT SMALL PIECE EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS CLAY WHICH WILL BREAK PIPES IN THE PROCESS. AND SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON CONDITIONS.
IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF SYSTEM YOU HAVE. IS IT CENTRALIZED?
IS IT FRAGMENTED, THAT SORT OF THING. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
AND SO HIGH LEVEL, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY OVER THE NEXT HOWEVER MANY YEARS TO TRY TO STOP THIS LOSS. WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE DOING?
>> A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS. A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS, SO WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE THE LEAKS ARE, PART OF IT IS JUST RESPONDING TO THE LEAKS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, PEOPLE CALL THEM IN, WE SEE THEM, AND SO WE'VE ADDED A BUNCH OF CREWS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO KNOCK THAT DOWN, AND I THINK WE'VE GONE ABOUT 40% REDUCTION IN OUR BACKLOG IN TERMS OF GETTING TO THESE LEAKS, SO ADDING CREWS TO RESPOND TO LEAKS IS ONE.
LEAK DETECTION, GOING OUT AND FINDING THE LEAKS. A LOT OF THESE, OBVIOUSLY 8,000 MILES BURRIED, WE'VE GOT TO FIND THEM, LEAK DETECTION IS A PIECE OF IT.
>> WHYTE:... LEAKS IN SAN ANTONIO, HAS SAWS IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE?
>> CURRENT LEAKS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED -- WE'VE IDENTIFIED -- I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IN PERCENTAGEWISE. WE'VE GOT ABOUT 8,000 MILES OF PIPE.
AND IT'S REALLY CENTRALIZED. THERE'S CERTAIN TYPES OF MATERIAL IN CONTRACTING SOILS THAT HAVE A HIGHER LEAK RATE THAN SOME OTHER AREAS, SO WE'VE GOT AN AI TOOL, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE ASSET MANAGEMENT PROCESS IN THERE WHERE WE'RE IDENTIFYING THE CONDITION OF MAINS, AND GOING OUT AND TARGETING THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS, SO WE'VE GOT A WHOLE PROCESS OUT THERE, I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WE'VE -- WHAT WE THINK IS OUT THERE. WE'VE REDUCED IT BY ABOUT 10% JUST OVER THE PAST YEAR. LAST YEAR OR TWO. REDUCTION IN WATER LOSS.
AND SO... >> PLUGGING MORE LEAKS THAN LEAKS THAN ARE -- THAN NEW
LEAKS THAT ARE OCCURRING? >> WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT MORE OR LESS. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LEAKS OUT THERE. WE'VE GOT A LOT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
IT'S ALL UNDERGROUND. WE'VE GOT TO FIND THEM. OF THE LEAKS WE KNOW THAT ARE OUT THERE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE MUCH QUICKER AND OUR
BACKLOG IS DOWN. >> I WOULD ASSUME IDENTIFYING WHERE ALL THE LEAKS ARE IS GOAL ONE, RIGHT? I MEAN IS THAT WHERE MOST OF
THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT? >> MAIN REPLACEMENT IS CERTAINLY A HUGE PIECE OF
THAT -- >> WHYTE: I MEAN, IDENTIFYING THE SOURCES OF
THE LEAKS. >> WE'VE MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR LEAK DETECTION PROGRAM.
IT USED TO BE ALL OF REACTIVE SYSTEM, AND JUST OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE PUT MORE OF A PROACTIVE LEAK DETECTION TEAM IN PLACE, WE'VE DOUBLED THAT TEAM. SO WE HAVE TO GET TO OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM, AGAIN 8,000 MILES, BUT, YES, WE HAVE INCREASED THAT LEAK DETECTION TEAM BY MORE THAN
DOUBLE. >> WHYTE: OKAY. >> AND THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATED, NOT JUST -- IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT HAVE YOU TO INCREASE.
THERE'S A PROCESS, BUT ALSO THERE'S TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE, TO FIND THE LEAKS, AND SO WE BOUGHT A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW TOOLS, A BUNCH OF NEW EQUIPMENT, THAT SORT OF THING, WE'RE STEPPING UP THE PROACTIVE LEAK DETECTION GAME.
>> WHYTE: WHAT ROLE IF ANY DO YOU THINK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS IN THIS
[00:40:03]
PROCESS? >> WE OBVIOUSLY COORDINATE WITH THEM A LOT.
IT WILL CONTINUE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IF WE'RE HAVING TO DIG IN THE STREETS, THEY'RE IMPACTED, WE HAVE TO REPAVE THINGS, SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF COORDINATION BETWEEN US AND OUR -- AND THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHETHER THERE'S ANY CORRELATION OF POT HOLES OR MAJOR DIP AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ARE WATER LEAKS, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ANALYZE GOING INTO THE FUTURE. SO THERE WILL BE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. IT'S A PIECE OF IT. >> WHYTE: AND HOW IS THE
COORDINATION BEEN GOING WITH PUBLIC WORKS SO FAR? >> ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE?
OR -- >> WHYTE: YEAH. >> WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF
COORDINATION WITH THEM. >> WHYTE: YEAH, ON THIS ISSUE.
>> AS WE GET THE CITY'S STREET MAINTENANCE PLAN AND WE HAVE THE CITY'S PROGRAM IN TERMS OF NEXT FIVE YEARS IN TERMS OF BOND PROMPLETS, THEN WE LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE LEAKS, INSTEAD OF US GOING OUT ON OUR OWN AND DOING OUR OWN PROJECT, CAN WE WORK WITH PARTNERING WITH OUR CITY, MINIMIZE THE IMPACT, I KNOW COUNCIL IS WORRIED ABOUT MINIMIZING THE IMPACT TO THE PUBLIC, CAN WE WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE A JOINT PROJECT AND MINIMIZE THAT IMPACT. WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THIS PAST FEW YEARS, WE'RE MAKING MORE -- PUBLIC WORKS AND SAWS ARE MAKING MORE OF A
CONCERTED EFFORT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THAT. >> WHYTE: IS THERE ONE PERSON THAT'S HEADING UP THIS EFFORT TO FIND THE LEAK, STOP THE LEAKS AND GET
THEM REPAIRED. >> WE HAVE ONE PROGRAM DIRECTOR THAT WE RECENTLY
PROMOTED INTO THIS ROLE, YES, WE DO. >> WHYTE: ALL RIGHT.
WELL, SO, CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JUMP IN FIRST, I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THAT THIS IS -- THIS IS FAR TOO MUCH WATER TO BE LOSING ON A DAILY BASIS.
I AM CERTAINLY NO EXPERT IN HOW WE GO ABOUT CORRECTING THIS, BUT IT DOES SEEM TO ME LIKE WE NEED TO DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS ON THIS. WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S OVERSEEING THIS PROGRAM, AND THAT THE COORDINATION BETWEEN PUBLIC WORKS AND SAWS, YOU KNOW, IS GOOD. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN DURING MY TWO YEARS HERE NOW, I THINK WE NEED MUCH BETTER COORDINATION AMONGST NOT ONLY OUR INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS HERE, BUT THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE CITY AND SAWS, THE CITY AND CPS, AND THIS IS ONE PARTICULAR AREA WHERE I CERTAINLY THINK THAT WORKING HAND IN HAND IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO GET THESE THINGS FIXED QUICKER, BUT ALSO WITH AS LITTLE DISRUPTION TO THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME FROM OUR RESIDENTS, RIGHT? STREET GETS REPAVED, GREAT. EVERYBODY IS HAPPY. THE NEXT MONTH IT'S GETTING TORN BACK UP FOR SAWS TO GO IN AND DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO UNDERNEATH.
SO REALLY HOPE EVERYBODY IS WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS AND WE GET A HANDLE ON THIS
WATER LOSS. THANK YOU. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, HE ASKED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS HOPING TO GET TO, SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
THE BROKEN PIPES WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT -- I KNOW WE GET CALLS FROM RESIDENTS THAT ARE JUST CONCERNED, I WANT TO GIVE GAVINO A GREAT SHOUTOUT, BECAUSE LAST WEEK THERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE WERE DIVERTED, AND IT CAUSED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, ET CETERA, AND SO YOU ALL HANDLED IT VERY, VERY NICELY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER A FEW YEARS AGO THE PUBLIC WORKS DASHBOARD, I WAS HOPING ALSO THAT UTILITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO PLUG INTO THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE INTRICACY OF WHAT YOU DO, VERSUS THE PUBLIC WORKS DASHBOARD, RIGHT, THERE'S LIMITED INFORMATION ON THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL CONTINUE TO LOOK HOW TO IMPROVE THAT. THERE WAS ALSO ON TO KAREN'S AREA, SO THERE WAS A GREAT ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER LAST WEEK OR MAYBE IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, SO GREAT JOB IN GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE, AND JUST THE FACT THAT IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT. ALSO, WHOEVER YOUR GRAPHIC DESIGNER WAS ON PAGE 6, I THOUGHT THAT A CUTE JOB OF PUTTING A ROADRUNNERS ON THE BELT, IT'S TEXAS, SHOUTOUT TO UTSA THERE. IT REMINDED ME, HOW ARE YOU WORKING WITH MAYBE THE LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND KIND OF JUST REMINDING THEM OR MAYBE EVEN BRINGING IN SOME STUDENT PROJECTS TO GET INVOLVED WITH YOU ALL AND SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT IT?
>> WELL, WE APPRECIATE PARTNERING WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOLS ALL THE WAY K-12.
WE HAVE EXPERTS IN EDUCATION WHO WORK WITH THEM, AND THEIR MESSAGES ARE
[00:45:04]
EVERYTHING FROM WATER QUALITY TO WATER MANAGEMENT TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES ARE ALSO A WONDERFUL RESOURCE. MY DEPARTMENT ALONE JUST HAD FIVE INTERNS OF LOCAL STUDENTS WHO STARTED THIS SUMMER.TALK TO LOCAL UNIVERSITIES ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THEIR CAMPUSES AS WELL AND HOW THEY CAN REINFORCE MESSAGES, MANAGE THEIR OWN VERY LARGE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY HAVE ON THE CAMPUS, SO IF THAT -- WAS THAT WHAT YOU
WERE LOOKING FOR IS -- >> ROCHA-GARCIA: YEAH, KIND OF SORT OF, I LIKE THAT YOU MENTIONED EVEN K-12, OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT HAS CUTE BOOKS, SO THEY HAVE ONE IN EVERY LIBRARY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT A LEAK IS, AND THEN JUST A DIFFERENT ONE ON HOW TO PLANT OR BEST TIMES TO PLANT, ET CETERA, AND SO THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET AT LEAST ONE IN EVERY SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY HAVE A BILINGUAL VERSION. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE THE SAME, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT THE LEARNING HAPPENS WITH KIDS, RIGHT? AND REMINDING THEIR PARENTS, MAYBE HELPING THEIR GRANDPARENTS TROUBLE SHOOT,
IF THEY THINK THERE'S A LEAK, WHAT TO DO. >> WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AWARD WINNING CREATIVE TEAM THAT COVER COVERS A LOT OF THOSE LESSONS AND TALKS TO TEACHERS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE TO, SINCE YOU TALKED ABOUT A BOOK, WITH YOUR ALLOWANCE, HAVE I TO PUT IN A PITCH FOR THE NEWEST RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE OUT, WHICH IS A CHILDREN'S BOOK. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE STORY OF PUPPIES GETTING INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM, AND ONE OF THEM THAT WENT DEEP INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, OF COURSE. IT'S A REALLY HEART WARMING STORY OF THE CREWS RUSHING AND THEN SENDING A LITTLE ROBOT TO URGE THE PUPPY TO MOVE ALONG AND GET IT OUT AND BRING IT OUT OF THERE. SO IT'S BECOME A CHILDREN BOOK.
PIPPA WAS ADOPTED BY SOMEONE AT SAWS, ANN HADEN, SHE WORKED WITH OUR CREATIVE CREWS TO CREATE A STORY TO HELP CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING IT FROM GETTING THINGS CLOGGED IN THAT SEWER SYSTEM, SO IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN A GREAT RESPONSE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TO THAT, TO GETTING
THAT CHILDREN'S STORY IS OUR LATEST THING WE'RE PROUD OF. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: I LOVE IT. AWESOME, MAYBE YOU CAN GET INTO EVERY LIBRARY AS WELL.
>> I KNOW ANN IS, WOULDING TO GET IT TO EVERY LIBRARY AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: I'M THRILLED WITH THE H20 CONNECT PROGRAM AND HOW IT'S WORKING. I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE WHO HAS SOME QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, IT'S ALL YOURS.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT CONSERVATION AND I BELIEVE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. COULD YOU REITERATE WHAT WAS THE LEVEL OF USAGE OF WATER -- I THINK YOU MENTIONED 15, 20 YEARS AGO, WHAT THE CONSERVATION LEVEL IS TODAY, AND WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM GOAL WE'RE LOOKING
AT ON A PER PERSON BASIS. >> YEAH, SO MANY YEARS AGO IN THE 1980S, THE GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY, ALL THE WATER, DIVIDED BY ALL THE PEOPLE, WAS ALL THE WAY UP IN THE 2 HUNDREDS, AND THEN TODAY, LAST YEAR, IT WAS 114.
>> COURAGE: 114, OKAY. >> IT GOES UP AND DOWN SOMETIMES WITH THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT WENT UP MORE THAN WE LIKED IN 2023 AND 2024, AND REALLY CAME BACK DOWN NICELY IN THE LAST YEAR. NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM FORECAST, WE DO PRETTY RIGOROUS MODELING TO LOOK AT WHAT WE EXPECT IN TERMS OF GROWTH IN OUR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL PLAN FOR ENOUGH WATER FOR THEM, THAT'S IN THAT TOTAL GPCD, AND THEN WE ALSO IN, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY USAGE THAT IS EXPECTED, LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION USAGE AND EVEN WATER LOSSES. NOW, WE BUILD THAT MODEL UP AND WORK WITH EXPERTS ON THE MODELING TO SAY HOW MUCH CAN WE REASONABLY HAVE THAT GO DOWN OVER THE DECADES? SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH THAT MODEL SAYING DECADES FROM NOW, WE THINK IT CAN GO WELL UNDER 100 GALLONS PER PERSON, PER DAY, GIVEN NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW EFFICIENCIES, REDUCTIONS IN WATER LOSS, ALL OF IT HAPPENING, STILL HAVING A GREAT ECONOMY, STILL HAVING LANDSCAPES AND A GREAT LIFESTYLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I THINK WHAT MOST AVERAGE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT IS WHAT IS P THE EXPECTATION ON MY HOUSEHOLD, YOU KNOW, PER PERSON, PER DAY, IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING.
WHAT IS THAT GOAL THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? >> SO ON THE HOMICIDE, TH --HOME-SIDE, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A RANGE. WHEN I STARTED AT SAWS MANY YEARS AGO, I SHOULD SAY MONTHLY USE, MAYBE THAT'S AN EASIER NUMBER FOR PEOPLE, THE INDOOR WATER USE WAS FREQUENTLY AVERAGING UP TO 8,000 GALLONS A MONTH FOR INDOOR NEEDS. NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR WINTER AVERAGING, WE'RE
[00:50:04]
HITTING UNDER 5,000 GALLONS, SO IT HAS REALLY DROPPED OVER THE YEARS AS PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO MORE EFFICIENT TOILETS AND SHOWERHEADS, AND FAWCETTS IN THEIR HOMES, AND SAWS WORKED VERY HARD AT THAT FOR DECADES. NOW WE EXPECT IT TO DROP EVEN MORE WITH THE CONNECT H20 PROGRAM, UP TO 12% OF WATER IN HOMES IS LOST TO LEAKS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM. SO WE MAY SEE UP TO A 12% ADDITIONAL REDUCTION OVER TIME BY US HELPING HOMEOWNERS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND NOW THEY CAN GET THAT USAGE DOWN, PREVENT THE HIGH BILL, SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR HOMEOWNERS. NOW, YOU KNOW, I POINT OUT TO PEOPLE THAT LAST SUMMER, OUR AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY USAGE STILL WAS HOVERINGAROUND 6,000, INDOOR, OUTDOOR. >> COURAGE: THAT WAS IN
THE SUMMERTIME. >> THAT WAS IN THE SUMMER. WE HAVE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE BIGGER LOTS, HAVE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, THEIR USAGE MAY BE HIGHER.
WE START WITH PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. WHAT ARE YOUR HABITS TODAY, HOW ARE YOU USING WATER, HOW CAN WE HELP TO MEET EXPECTATIONS BUT BE LOWER THAN IT IS NOW. I THINK WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE A RANGE IN SINGLE FAMILY USAGE, BUT WE WILL SEE THAT IRRIGATION OUTDOORS BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT.
PEOPLE WILL FEEL THE NEED TO WATER LESS, AS THEY HAVE MORE RESILIENT LANDSCAPES, WE'RE SURE EXCITED ABOUT FINDING THOSE LEAKS REALLY FAST.
>> COURAGE: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER INCENTIVES AS FOR SITUATION THAT SAWS IS THAT
SAWS IS OFFERING AND THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW. >> WE HAVE THINGS -- SOMETHING SIMPLE, PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY CUTOFF VALVE. WE HAVE A REBATE FOR ADDING TO YOURSELF. IF YOU HAVE A LEAK AND STRUGGLE TO TURN OFF THE WATER, WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE PLUMBING JOB, WE HAVE A RAIBIL REBATE FOR THAT.
A LOT OF REBATES TO MAKE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, TO RETIRE PARTS THAT ARE NO LONGER NEEDED AS THE LANDSCAPE MATURES, WE SEE THEM MISTING.
ONE OF THE THINGS ON IRRIGATION IS VARIOUS WAYS TO REGULATE THE PRESSURE, WE DO A CONSULTATION SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, WE HAVE REBATES TO HELP THEM SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IS ONE OF THINGS Y'ALL HELPED US GET THROUGH LAST SUMMER, WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE ON THAT PROBLEM, WE SEE TOO MANY NEW SYSTEMS WITH THE PRESSURE TOO HIGH ON THE IRRIGATION, THAT JUST SHOULDN'T BE, IF IT'S WELL DESIGNED. SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING PLAN REVIEW OF NEW PLANS FOR NEW IRRIGATION, THAT'S BEEN GOING EXTREMELY WELL, WE'VE GOTTEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUILDERS, AND THEN STARTING IN JANUARY, WE'RE GOING TO DO OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS, WE GO OUT THERE, WE SEE IT MISTING, IT'S NOT WORKING EFFICIENTLY, WE CAN HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO
CORRECT THAT. >> I THINK WHAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON, PEOPLE DO LAWN IRRIGATION, I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A HOME WHERE THE PRESSURE IS STRONG, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GET LEAKS BECAUSE THEIR HOME IS OLDER, THEIR PIPES ARE OLDER, AND I THINK THAT SAWS RECOMMENDS YOU GET A PRESSURE REGULATOR PUT IN, BUT YOU DON'T DO ANY INCENTIVE FOR THAT, FOR PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT TO HELP PREVENT LEAKS IN THEIR OWN HOME.& SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO FOCUS ON WHAT THE AVERAGE CONSUMER WOULD BE LOOKING AT IN THE WAY OF ANY INCENTIVES, SO WHAT DO WE HAVE IN THAT AREA.
>> I WILL TELL YOU OUR PHILOSOPHY TOWARD INCENTIVES OVER THE YEARS, IN ORDER TO BE MINDFUL, THIS IS -- WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHERE CAN WE GET SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO. WHEN A HOME IS BUILT, IF IT IS BUILT IN A PLACE WHERE THE PRESSURE IS HIGH, THE BUILDER IS EXPECTED TO PUT IN A PRESSURE REGULATOR TO MANAGE THAT PROBLEM. I WILL SAY I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO MORE EDUCATION WITH HOMEOWNERS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS A DEVICE JUST LIKE WE HAVE MANY DEVICES AND THINGS IN OUR HOMES, LIKE OUR ROOFS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED. PRESSURE REGULATING VALVES ARE THE SAME, THEY LAST A LONG TIME, AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU FAIL.
>> COURAGE: BUT YOU SAID THAT YOU RECOMMEND TO DEVELOPERS THAT THEY --
>> THEY HAVE TO DO THAT. >> COURAGE: THEY HAVE TO, OKAY.
>> IF THE PRESSURE IS BEYOND WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR INDOOR FIXTURES, THAT IS A STANDARD IN CONSTRUCTION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN THAT PRV.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE A 25-YEAR-OLD HOUSE JUST LIKE EVENTUALLY YOUR ROOF NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR OTHER THINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED, YOU MAY BE IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO REPLACE THAT PRV DEVICE AS WELL. IT'S REALLY NOT OPTIONAL IS WHAT I TELL PEOPLE. IF YOU ARE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE YOU'RE DOWNHILL, YOUR
[00:55:01]
PRESSURE IS HIGHER THAN YOUR NEIGHBOR WHO IS UP HILL, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOUNEED TO KEEP WORKING. >> COURAGE: ISN'T THAT ABOUT A 4 OR $500 CHARGE TO
DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> IT CAN BE. IT IS NOT FUN TO REPLACE THINGS IN YOUR HOUSE THAT DON'T CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE, BUT IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS LIKEWISE TO DO, WE PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE SOME EDUCATION ON GOOD SELECTION OF HOW DO YOU SELECT A GOOD PLUMBER, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRODUCT THAT'S GOING TO WORK.
>> COURAGE: ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT IS WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH HAVE Y'ALL BEEN DOING ON ARTIFICIAL TURF? AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP, I GO TO COSTCO ON LOOP 1604 ALL THE TIME, THEY'VE REPLACED ALL THAT GRASS WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF, ALL THE ISLANDS EVERYWHERE AROUND THERE.
OBVIOUSLY IT SAVES MONEY, AND I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF ARTIFICIAL TURF TODAY HAS THE ABILITY FOR WATER TO SEEP RIGHT THROUGH INTO THE GROUND, AND SO IT HAS MORE OF A VALUE NOT JUST -- NOT USING WATER, BUT ALLOWING WATER TO FILTER THROUGH.
AND WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH EXPLORATION HAS SAWS DONE ABOUT PRESENTING THAT TO BUILDERS OR HOMEOWNERS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, MAYBE EVEN SOME KIND OF A REBATE PROGRAM THAT CAN ALLOW WATER TO FILTER THROUGH, SAVE WATER USAGE ON THINGS YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATER. WHAT HAVE YOU LOOKED ABOUT THAT.
>> WE DO IS HAVE AN INCENTIVE SOMEBODY COULD USE TOWARD ARTIFICIAL TURF IF THEY SO DESIRE. IT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE LANDSCAPE CHANGE THAT IS POSSIBLE OUT THERE. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE TO MOST VERY COST CONSCIOUS SAN ANTONIO, THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE OPTION IS TO GO FROM GRASS TO LOW WATER USE LANDSCAPE, SO WE DO MAKE SURE WE FACILITATE THAT.
NOW, FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO COULD AFFORD IT, THE MAIN WAY THEY CAN GET SOME MONEY BACK FROM SAWS IS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO NEED THAT AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM ANYMORE. AND WE GET VERY GENEROUS REBATES FOR RETIRING THE ENTIRE THING. IT IS UP TO THE HOMEOWNER WHO GETS A CASH CHECK HOW THEY USE THOSE FUNDS. SO WE TELL THEM YOU CAN REDO YOUR LANDSCAPE TO OTHER PLANTS OR, YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO DO ARTIFICIAL TURF, YOU CAN GO THAT WAY.
WE DO GIVE THEM A HEADS UP. YOU WILL PROBABLY WANT TO TALK TO YOUR HOA TO MANGE SURE YOU KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO GET YOU CROSSWISE WITH THEM, ARTIFICIAL TURF IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECTS IN WATER CONSERVATION.
PEOPLE LOVE IT OR HATE. WE ARE NEUTRAL. WE TELL PEOPLE WE'RE NOT OUT HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST IT. WE WILL SAY THE TWO MOST EXPENSIVE WAYS ARE EITHER ROCK ALL OVER YOUR LANDSCAPE. ROCK IS SHOCKINGLY EXPENSIVE, AND SO IS ARTIFICIAL TURF, WHILE WE DON'T TELL PEOPLE WE'RE AGAINST IT, WE ALSO TRY TO POINT THEM TO WHERE THEY CAN GET THE RESULT WITHOUT SPENDING SO MUCH. I WILL SAY MAYS YMCA, THAT HAS ATHLETIC FIELDS, IS LOOKING TO PERHAPS DO A PRETTY BIG CONVERSION OF THEIR ATHLETIC FIELDS TO AT OFFICIAL TURF, IN THAT CASE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE RETIRING THEIR IRRIGATION, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A CUSTOM REBATE, SO WE'RE IN TALKS WITH THEM ABOUT THAT.
SO THERE ARE WAYS TO ACCESS MONEY FROM SAWS IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A PERMANENT
REDUCTION IN YOUR WATER USE, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENCE. >> COURAGE: I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE CONSERVATION, WE TALK ABOUT FOR EXAMPLE, A L A LOT OF THE ISLANDS, WE'RE SAYING DON'T WATER THERE SO MUCH, LET IT BE NATURAL, WHATEVER, EVEN IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THE USE OF WATER, HAVE YOU ANALYZED WHAT KIND OF EFFECT THAT HAS ON A TREE CANOPY FOR THE CITY, FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO DO THAT, SOME ASSOCIATIONS HAVE GIVEN UP WATERING THE ISLANDS OR WATERING THEIR COMMUNITY PROPERTY, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TREES THAT ARE DYING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE IN A DROUGHT, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REDUCING THE WATER THAT WE USE FOR LANDSCAPING, AND THE EFFECT IT HAS ON TREES AND TREE CANOPY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU RESEARCHED THAT? >> WE HAVE. WE'RE BIG FANS OF TREES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THIS TOPIC. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PARKING LOT SPECIAL WE HAVE ON CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO HAVE SPRAY IRRIGATION FOR GRASS IN A PARKING LOT ISLAND, IT ENCOURAGES THEM TO RETAIN A POINT SOURCE IRRIGATION SPECIFIC TO SUPPORT THEIR TREES.
MOST TREES IN SAN ANTONIO ONCE THEY'RE ESTABLISHED IN NORMAL PLACES ARE AMAZINGLY RESILIENT. PARKING LOTS ARE NOT NORMAL SITUATIONS.
YOU HAVE HIGH REFLECTED HEAT OFTEN NOT A LOT OF SOIL TO HOLD THE WATER THAT THERE
[01:00:06]
IS. THE GOOD NEWS IS IF HAVE YOU A POINT SOURCE WATER APPLICATION SPECIFIC TO THOSE TREES, WHICH IS NOT AN EXCESSIVE RETROFIT TO GET TO, YOU CAN SUPPORT THE TREES FOR -- AT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF WATER.EVEN IN OUR MOST SEVERE DROUGHTS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT TREES IN A LOGICAL WAY. I WILL TELL YOU, SPRAY IRRIGATION ON A PARKING LOT ISLAND IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. I HAVE SEEN SHRUBS AND TREES TANK IN PLACES WHERE THEY'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT NEVER MAKES IT DOWN TO THE ROOT BALLS. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ELIMINATING THE OVERSPRAY AND THE CLEAR WASTE, IT IS ALSO ABOUT GETTING TO WHERE THEY'RE BETTER SUPPORTING THE PLANT AND THE TREE THAT WE WANT TO RETAIN. SO THE QUARRY THAT I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE G GONE TO THAT TARGETED UNDERGROUND SUPPORT RIGHT AROUND THEIR TREE CANOPY THAT THEY HAVE IN THOSE PARKING LOT ISLANDS, SO THEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF THOSE TREES BEING SUSTAINED DURING DROUGHT
THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEFORE. >> COURAGE: WELL, HOPEFULLY YOU CONTINUE TO EDUCATE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND BIDS, AND BUSIS AND MAYBE WE REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE THAT KIND OF TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE TREES THEY'RE PUTTING IN, BECAUSE I SEE TOO MANY OF THEM DYING. WE'VE REPLACED TREES IN ISLANDS AND THEY'VE JUST DIED, MOSTLY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY BUILT-IN WATER SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE DON'T PUT LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION ON YOUR ISLANDS BECAUSE YOU'RE WASTING YOUR MONEY, AND, YOU KNOW, SO ANYWAY, I WANTED TO BRING THOSE UP FOR CONSIDERATION, AND NOW I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE AT LEAST THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS
AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. >> AND I DO JUST WANT TO PUT IN A PLUG THAT THE CITY STAFF HAVE FOR A LOT OF -- OF YEARS NOW REQUIRED SPECIAL TARGETED IRRIGATION ON TREES, AND SO IT IS NOT THAT ANYBODY -- PEOPLE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT SOME OF THE OLDER PROPERTIES THAT DIDN'T HAVE THAT SINGLE ZONE SUPPORTING THE TREES, THOSE ARE PLACES WHERE THOSE RETROFITS ARE
REALLY NECESSARY. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, BEFORE I FORGET, HE NENGSED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I DID FORGET TO MENTION THAT EARLIER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION, ALL OF THE ALUM OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GET EBLASTS PERIODICALLY, SO IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER WAY TO REACH OUT.
>> MAYBE WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU AND GET THAT. THE CITY DID GIVE US 400 E-MAILS, AND SO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, HOA, THAT IS REGISTERED WITH THE CITY, WE TRIED TO BLAST OUT AN E-MAIL TO THEM, TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY. YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO USE THAT.
SO THANK YOU. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THIS IS A GROUP OF I THINK THEY DO A COHORT OF ABOUT 80 LEADERS EVERY YEAR, IT'S BUILT UP INCREMENTALLY, SO YOU WOULD
HAVE A LOT OF E-MAILS. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, EVERY TIME IT RAINS I'M REMINDED OF THE GREAT REBATE PROGRAM THAT SAWS HAS WHEN MY DOG IS TRACKING ALL THE MUD, IT'S ON MY TO DO LIST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING WATER VIOLATIONS IS WORKING AND THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS THAT TEND TO PRIOR TO BEING PENALIZED WITH THE INCREASED FEE. ULTIMATELY, RIGHT, I SHARE THIS SENTIMENT IN TERMS OF BEING CONCERNED WITH OUR -- WITH ONE, THE DROUGHT, AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON LOST WATER, AND IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THE ROLE OF CITY COUNCIL, AND AS POLICYMAKERS ON WHY WE NEED TO BE STRATEGIC IN TERMS OF OUR IMPACT FEES, AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS OF PLANNING, RIGHT, WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING AND/OR INCENTIVIZING URBAN SPRAWL, HOW WE NEED TO CREATE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT, ULTIMATE LIT IT IMPACTS THE ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY, BUT THE RURAL PARTNERS, RIGHT, THE VISTA RIDGE PIPELINE IS GOING, IT HAS A LARGER IMPACT ON HOW DIFFERENT MOVING PEES ULTIMATELY IMPACT THE LARGER REGION AND ITS ACCESS TO WATER. BUT A QUESTION I DID HAVE WAS IN TERMS OF WHAT RELATIONSHIP IF ANY DO Y'ALL HAVE WITH CITY SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT FOR EXAMPLE? I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE REEVALUATING AN REVIEWING OUR CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN, WHAT ROLE WILL Y'ALL BE PLAYING, WHAT CURRENT ROLE DO Y'ALL HAVE IN TERMS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOLUTIONS AND
SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR WATER SUPPLY? >> I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY TEAM AND OTHERS WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE FIRST CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT SAN ANTONIO PUT FORWARD, WE ATTENDED THOSE PLANNING MEETINGS, THEY LOOK AT US AS
[01:05:04]
ANOTHER FORM OF RESILIENCE. WE ALSO TALK TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, THEY'RE CURRENTLY I KNOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEAT, AND WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO COEDUCATE. IF THEY GIVE US MATERIALS TO HELP PEOPLE BE READY FOR HOT DAYS, THESE THINGS THAT WE CAN PASS ON WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, SO WE APPRECIATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH WHETHER IT'S AT THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AT THE CITY, OR THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO BEING INVOLVED IN ANY UPDATE OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. WE HAVE SOMEBODY AM POINTED TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORYCOMMITTEE AS A STANDING MEMBER OF THAT AS WELL. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT, IN TERMS OF JUST CONSERVATION, RIGHT, I KNOW AWHILE BACK SAWS HAD ESTABLISHED THE CONSERVATION MAKEOVER PROGRAM, IS THERE A SIMILAR PROGRAM LIKE THAT THAT STILL EXISTS IN WHICH THERE'S REBATES OFFERED FOR INSTALLING WATER EFFICIENT TOILETS AND THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STILL EXISTS?
>> WELL, WE HAD TO HONESTLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE DECLARED VICTORY OVER HIGH FLOW TOILETS FOR THE MOST PART IN 2013, BECAUSE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM GOT PROACTIVELY REPLACED, AND THEN CITY COUNCIL HAD UPDATED CODE, SO SINCE THAT TIME, ALL FIXTURES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING IN, ACTUALLY SINCE 2006, HAVE MET E.P.A. WATER SENSE STANDARDS, NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, PLUMBERS TO PEOPLE IS OUR OLDEST CONSERVATION PROGRAM WHERE IF SOMEBODY IS IN OUR UPLIFT PROGRAM, THEY OWN AND RESIDE IN THEIR HOME, IF THEY HAD LEAKS, WE WILL REPAIR THEM FOR FREE. AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE COME ACROSS A HIGH FLOW FIXTURE WHILE WE ARE THERE, THE PLUMBERS HAVE A DIRECTIVE TO REPLACE IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET RID OF IT. I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT BECAUSE WE WERE FRANKLY SO AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR EFFORTS TO MARKET THOSE REPLACEMENTS YEARS AGO, IT'S RARE THAT THEY FIND THEM. WE ALSO REPLACED HIGH FLOW FIXTURES IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITIES IN HOTELS AND HIGH OCCUPANCY OFFICE BUILDINGS, NOW, IF WE MISSED ONE, AND THEY DOCUMENT THAT THEY'VE GOT HIGH FLOW FIXTURES, WE CAN WORK OUT A CUSTOM REBATE TO HELP THEM GET RID OF THEM. I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ONE IN A LONG TIME, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LOOK THEM UP, GIVE THEM THE GOOD NEWS, BUT
WE'RE OPEN TO IT. >> CASTILLO: ACTUALLY ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS I KEEP HEARING FROM COMMUNITY, FOLKS INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY, THE INCREASED DATA CENTERS COMING TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH THE CITY AND SAWS TO WORK ON A PLAN IN TERMS OF WHAT REGULATION CAN LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? ULTIMATELY, YES, SOME OF THESE ARE JOBS, GOOD PAYING JOBS, BUT FOR A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS, LIKE OTHER COMPANIES, UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT, THEY COME AND THEY LEAVE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT INCENTIVE VIESING FOLKS EXTRACTING OUR RESOURCES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL AND SAWS CAN COLLABORATE ON IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE STRATEGICALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE COMING A WAY THAT DOESN'T JUST EXTRACT RESOURCES IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, AGAIN? THIS IS NOT JUST THE SAN ANTONIO IMPACT, IT HAS A GREATER REGIONAL IMPACT, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AND PATHS FORWARD.
>> WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, I WILL TELL YOU GOOD NEWS ON THAT SUBJECT, THEY ARE NOT ON POETABLE WATER, THERE ARE SOME USING THE RECYCLED WATER TO TAKE THE HEAT LOAD OFF ALL OF THOSE COMPUTERS THAT THEY HAVE. WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT USE WATER FOR THEIR COOLING SYSTEM, WHEN WE'VE ANALYZED IT, SO FAR WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PERCENT OF OUR INDUSTRIAL WATER THAT DATA CENTERS USE, IT IS ABOUT 2% OF THAT COMMERCIAL SECTOR WATER, SO THE GOOD NEWS IT HASN'T BEEN AN ENORMOUS IMPACT TO DATE. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WE NEED TO KEEP HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF CUSTOMERS, SEE IF IT'S OPTION FOR THEM TO BE ON THE RECYCLED SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD SUSTAINABILITY OPTION FOR THEM GOING FORWARD. AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, SO THAT'S -- THANK YOU FOR THAT TIP, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE KEEP THAT IN THE CONVERSATION.
>> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF THE DATA Y'ALL IS HAVE BEEN GATHERING WITH DATA CENTERS, CAN THAT BE SHARED WITH COUNCIL, WHO IS USING RECYCLED WATER, WHO IS NOT.
>> YEAH, WE'LL GET YOU A SUMMARY, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS FROM REPORTERS, ONE FAIRLY RECENTLY, WE'LL REFRESH THAT, GET THAT UP TO YOU.
>> CASTILLO: I APPRECIATE THAT. HAVE Y'ALL DONE THAT FOR
CITY FACILITIES. >> THE CITY WAS GREAT ABOUT LETTING US IN, TO COME INTO THE CITY FACILITIES, LET US KNOW WHERE THERE WERE HIGH FLOW FIXTURES AND GET THEM
[01:10:04]
CHANGED OUT. FRANKLY, WE'RE READY TO DO THE SAME ON IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, KIND OF RUN THROUGH, WE'RE TALKING TO FACILITIES FOLKS AT THE CITY DO YOU HAVE AN AGING IRRIGATION SYSTEM, DO WE HAVE THAT PARKING LOT PROBLEM THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES TOWORK WITH CITY FACILITIES ON THAT OUTDOOR SIDE OF THINGS. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: OKAY,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN CABELLO HAVRDA. >> CABELLO-HAVRDA: I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, YOU TALK ABOUT TALKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOAS, HAVE YOU GONE AND DONE THE SAME THING WITH BUSINESSES, TALK ABOUT NOT JUST THEIR NEEDS, BUT WHAT WE NEED FOR THEM? I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THIS IS ON THE BACKS OF RESIDENCES, CONVERSATION, WE HAVEN'T TALKED A WHOLE LOT ABOUT --
>> YOU'RE RIGHT. I SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN MY REMARKS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING IT UP. WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING TO. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE STANDING MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE WHO RUN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, SAN ANTONIO IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION, AND THE TEXAS NURSERY LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION.
WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE RULES, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DROUGHT. WE ALSO TALK TO FACILITY MANAGER GROUPS, TO THE BUILDING OWNERS, MANAGERS GROUPS, TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, TO -- SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A KIND OF ROTATING LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR. WE ALSO HAVE A REGULATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT TO COMMERCIAL ABOUT IT, MAYBE OTHERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, WHICH IS SINCE 2006, IF A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS SO BIG, EVEN HOA COMBINED IRRIGATION METERS ARE A BIG BUSINESS CAMPUS, THEY USE A MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR FOR THEIR IRRIGATION USES, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO TURN IN A CHECKUP TO SAWS BY MAY OF EACH YEAR THAT AN IRRIGATOR HAS GONE THROUGH AND SHOWN IT IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND COMPLIANT WITH ALL CURRENT RULES, IF THEY FAIL TO DO THAT, IF THEY HAVE A LATE FEE, WE START CHARGING THEM MORE VOLUMETRICALLY FOR EACH CHA GALLON OF WATER, THAT REGULATION SAVES MORE WATER THAN ANYTHING WE DO. SO WE HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF CONTACTS WITH THEM, VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THOSE COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, AND THEY KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY, IF THEY'RE A HIGH USER, WE ARE PATROLLING THEIR PROPERTIES AS WELL, BECAUSE JUST AS HOMEOWNERS HAVE RULES TO FOLLOW, THEY HAVE THE SAME RULES. THEY -- THEY HAVE TO WATER ONCE A WEEK AND NOT
WASTEWATER AS WELL. >> I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO -- WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO, I MEAN LIKE KIND OF THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE NEAR NEIGHBORHOODS, HAVE SOME LANDSCAPING, ARE THEY BEING -- ARE Y'ALL HAVING THAT SAME COMMUNICATION LEVEL AS YOU ARE WITH RESIDENCES AND
THESE ORGANIZATIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? >> IT'S A GREAT POINT THOSE SMALLER BUSINESSES ARE MAYBE NOT AS PLUGGED INTO TO SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS ON WAYS TO HELP REACH THEM, WE ARE VERY OPEN TO THAT.
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE A LOT OF THE JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HELP THEM.
BUSINESSES, ALL BUSINESSES ON IS THOSE CONNECT H20 METERS.
FOR THEM TO BENEFIT FROM THOSE NEW METERS, WE NEED THEM TO GIVE US CONTACT INFORMATION SO WE CAN SEND THEM THE SAME NOTIFICATIONS THAT WE SEND TO HOMEOWNERS, BUT OFTEN WE DON'T HAVE AN E-MAIL OR A PHONE NUMBER OR ANYTHING FOR THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, ANY HELP WE CAN GET FROM YOU TO CONNECT TO THOSE EVERY, YOU KNOW,
BUSINESS THAT IS A SAWS CUSTOMER, WE APPRECIATE. >> HAVRDA: DOESN'T SAWS
HAVE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS AND RESIDENCE ACCOUNTS? >> WE DO, WE HAVE OVER 4,000 COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS. MANY MORE RESIDENTIAL, BUT A LOT OF COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS
OF ALL KINDS. >> HAVRDA: IS THAT ONE DATA BASE TO REACH OUT TO
SMALL BUSINESSES? >> WE DO AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SORT THEM BY WHAT THEY ARE. WE PUT IN NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL CODING STANDARDS SO WE CAN SORT THEM BY IF THEY ARE A CAR WASH OR DATA CENTER.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BROUGHT ON SOME TEMPORARY STAFF TO HELP US UPDATE THOSE CONTACTS DURING THIS DROUGHT. SO WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE MAKING COLD CALLS IF NECESSARY TO THOSE BUSINESSES TO SAY, HEY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR WATER USAGE IS HIGH, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE CONTACT IN OUR RECORDS TODAY AND WE NEED TO CALL THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE.
>> HAVRDA: OKAY. THANK YOU. SO OF COURSE ALL THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THAT'S TO SEE THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE '50S AND NOW IS SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER ALL
[01:15:08]
THAT'S HAPPENED, OF COURSE IN THE LAST 70 YEARS, THE POPULATION GROWTH SPECIFICALLY. SO I KNOW THAT FAMILIES FEEL THAT THESE CONDITIONS ARE -- THEY FEEL THE CONDITIONS EVERY DAY IN THEIR YARDS, IN THEIR BILLS.I THINK MOST PEOPLE DO THEIR BEST TO CONSERVE AND I JUST WANT TO SEE THAT IT'S NOT ALL ON THE BACKS OF RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HOMES OR EVEN THE APARTMENTS, AND I'M THANKFUL YOU ARE TALKING TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR SAWS ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES. I THINK WE NEED TO OWE IT TO ALL OUR RESIDENTS, COMMERCIAL AND NEIGHBORHOODS, TO BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT CONSERVATION AND BOLD ABOUT INNOVATION.
OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING, OUR APPROACH TO WATER MUST EVOLVE WITH IT, SO WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. I APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. MR. PUENTE IS BACK AND WE ARE STILL GOING.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO SAWS AND THE ENTIRE TEAM. THIS IS OUR LAST MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE FOR THE TERM AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO US AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD IT ON THE RECORD BEFORE PEOPLE STARTED ASKING OVER THE SUMMER AND THEY KNOW WHAT SAWS ARE DOING OR ARE REMINDED.
SOMETIMES I THINK THEY JUST NEED SIMPLE REMINDERS. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. I KNOW A LOT OF THEM DON'T ENGAGE TOO MUCH OVER THE SUMMER. THAT'S WHY I WAS RECOMMENDING IF MAYBE WE COULD REACH OUT TO THEM THROUGH EMAIL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THE TIME IS 11:16 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.