Category Determination Request Letter

The Aquifer Protection Ordinance No. 81491, passed by the San Antonio City Council on January 12, 1995, provides for property on the Recharge Zone in Bexar County to be divided into 3 Categories.  When developing a site on the Recharge Zone in Bexar County, it is the developer’s/owner’s responsibility to request a Category determination for the site from San Antonio Water System, Aquifer Protection & Evaluation Section.  The applicant provides the data necessary for the Aquifer Protection & Evaluation Section staff to determine a Category Status for the site.  The Category status is very important for the developer/owner to know because the amount of impervious cover allowed for a site varies with the Category Status.  The Category Status with the associated percentage of impervious cover is then used in designing the structure that will be built on the site.

If you have any questions, please call the Aquifer Protection & Evaluation Section at (210) 233-3516 between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday.

The following letter is an example of a Category request letter made to the Aquifer Protection & Evaluation Section of SAWS.  Please mail the letter with corresponding documents to:

Kirk Nixon, Manager
Resource Protection Division
San Antonio Water System
P.O. Box 2449
San Antonio, TX 78298-2449

Example Category Request Letter [date] Mr. Kirk Nixon, Manager Resource Protection Division San Antonio Water System P.O. Box 2449 San Antonio, TX 78298-2449 Re: [Project name or description (if no name available)] Dear Mr. Nixon: We are hereby requesting a Category determination on the above reference property. The property consists of [number] acres located [location description]. We have included the following documentation: 1. A map showing the location of the site (MAPSCO Ferguson’s Quick-Finder is preferred) 2. [a signed POADP that has been accepted by the city] and a copy of an approved Plat within the POADP 3. [Plat or Plat application] 4. [any other documentation you may have which was needed to develop this site] Please make a determination at your earliest convenience. Should you need additional information, please contact [name] at [phone number] or fax at [fax number].   [signature]

BE SURE TO INCLUDE ALL DOCUMENTATION YOU HAVE FOR THE PROPERTY.

A LACK OF INFORMATION WILL NOT ONLY SLOW THE RESPONSE TIME, BUT MAY RESULT IN A CATEGORY 2 OR 3 DESIGNATION.