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During the driest 22-month period on record, the Edwards Aquifer is peaking up during weekends, reaching 645.3 on Sunday with only minimal rain this past week. How is that possible, given triple-digit temperatures and nearly no rainfall?

The rapid decline in the aquifer level in June corresponded with agricultural irrigation in Medina and Uvalde counties. But aquifer levels were helped by the quick and diligent response from San Antonians who have complied with drought restrictions.

"Thank you, San Antonio, for following watering rules during this historic drought," said Robert R. Puente, SAWS President and CEO. "By continuing to follow drought restrictions, including not watering during the weekends, we've been able to hold off Stage Three restrictions."

Most area residents have diligently followed drought restrictions for months, beginning with Stage One on April 10 and moving into Stage Two on June 15.

As a result, SAWS pumping this June was 23 percent lower than pumping in June 2008, directly attributable to lower water use in compliance with drought restrictions.

"It's great that we are able to manage our water supply so well," added Puente. "We have the water we need for household and business needs, we just have to manage it well, and we're doing that as a community."

Water conservation in San Antonio is also translating into energy conservation for the city. Pumping from the Edwards Aquifer requires energy, so reduced pumping due to lower customer demand also means reduced energy use.

Similarly, as residents reduce energy demand in their homes and businesses, there is a reduction in the need to deliver water to the CPS Energy power plants.

Doing its own part to conserve, SAWS is working with CPS Energy to reduce energy use during the busiest times of the day. Just last week, SAWS began reducing energy consumption by as much as four megawatt hours each afternoon at several facilities – including the Dos Rios Water Recycling Center and our Basin and Mission pump stations – by safely shutting down some operations for up to six hours during CPS Energy's peak demand time. Additionally, computer equipment is being shut down during non-working hours to eke out some additional energy savings.