SAN ANTONIO — The above video is a story about SAWS reimbursing customers for expenses related to February's severe winter storm.
If you're a San Antonio Water System customer, get ready to throttle back your water usage. SAWS announced some new rules for its customers.
Stage 2 watering rules will start Tuesday, April 20, for all SAWS customers. That means you can watering with a sprinkler, irrigation system or soaker hose one time a week between 7-11 a.m. or p.m., based on last digit of your address.
Watering days stay the same in Stage 2 as in Stage 1, however the hours during which watering is allowed are shortened. The allowed days are determined by the last number of your address:
- 0 or 1 – Monday
- 2 or 3 – Tuesday
- 4 or 5 – Wednesday
- 6 or 7 – Thursday
- 8 or 9 – Friday
There is no watering allowed on the weekends.
Hand watering is allowed any time, any day. For a complete look at Stage 2 watering rules, click here.
Due to a city ordinance, City Manager Erik Walsh in consultation with Robert Puente, President/CEO of SAWS, declared the Stage 2 rules because San Antonio has received less than 40% of normal rainfall since June 2020.
According to SAWS, the Edwards Aquifer 10-day average has dropped to 649.9 feet, triggering Stage 2 watering rules. Stage 2 begins whenever the 10-day average of the Edwards Aquifer drops to 650 feet or below.
“Although SAWS has plenty of water to meet customer demand coming from water projects such as the Vista Ridge Pipeline project, our desalination plant and various others, city ordinance requires SAWS to enter Stage 2 watering rules when the Edwards Aquifer level is triggered,” Puente said. “We have worked hard to diversify our water sources to ensure that San Antonio is water secure for generations. As a reminder, Stage 2 watering rules are primarily focused on moderating business and residential landscape watering.”