Per city ordinance, San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh, in consultation with SAWS President/CEO Robert R. Puente, declared an end to Stage 1 and 2 watering rules effective Thursday, May 20.
Recent rains have sent the 10-day average for the Edwards Aquifer above the trigger of 660 feet msl. As a result, SAWS has advised the City Manager that it would be appropriate to end the watering rules that have been in place since October 2020.
While there has been some confusion regarding watering rules with multiple entities declaring different stages, the City of San Antonio’s ordinance is designed to avoid quickly going in and out of stages to avoid confusion. SAWS wanted to ensure the J-17 aquifer level is trending in the right direction for 15 days before rescinding the watering rules.
Investing in diversification of water sources, such as Vista Ridge, desalination, and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) in addition to Edwards water has provided the water security San Antonio needs to avoid more severe watering rules seen elsewhere in the region in recent years.
Although Stage 1 and Stage 2 rules are ending, residents are urged to continue watering only once a week to keep their water bills from increasing while temperatures rise this summer.
SAWS customers can take advantage of SAWS WaterSaver coupons and rebates to spruce up their yards and save money.