SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Water System officials are attributing the hundreds of water main breaks the utility has seen this summer to record pumping amid high demand for water.
SAWS sent a press release Wednesday attributing the high demand to customers who are ignoring watering rules.
Officials also said prolonged drought and triple-digit heat have proven to be a challenge to the public utility’s infrastructure.
“This summer, when every day seems to bring a new record for dropping aquifer levels and high temperatures, SAWS is working to make sure our city of more than 2 million people has necessary water,” said Carlos Mendoza, SAWS Vice President of Distribution and Collections.
SAWS said water supplies are doing well but the high demand for outdoor watering is driving record pumping and causing more main breaks.
In July, SAWS had a total of 729 water main breaks and officials expect August to peak at roughly 965 breaks. The utility is already reporting 754 breaks as of Wednesday.
Karen Guz, vice president of conservation at SAWS, said the amount of water main breaks isn’t too surprising given the recent weather conditions.
“Having up to nearly a thousand main breaks in one month is an astounding number… but it doesn’t shock us given the conditions we are seeing,” Guz said.
On Monday, a water main break on the Northeast Side left a bus full of students stuck in a collapsed trench.
SAWS officials said the leak repair was scheduled for Sunday night, but crews were busy with higher-priority calls.
“Repairing all leaks is a priority but given the extremely high numbers prioritizing leaks is necessary,” the press release states. “Leaks are repaired based on priority numbering: ‘1′ for emergencies, ‘2′ for urgent, and ‘3′ for routine.”
SAWS spokeswoman Anne Hayden also attributed another water main break earlier this month in the Medical Center area to heat and dry weather.
In July, a water main break caused major damage to a home on the Southwest Side and another break flooded a parking lot at The Rim prompting several business closures.
“We need the cooperation of our customers to reduce outdoor watering, so the stress of ongoing drought on our infrastructure is reduced,” said Mendoza.
According to the press release, several SAWS water tanks showed levels dropping Tuesday night beyond normal Stage 2 demand levels.
SAWS officials said increased patrols and ticket citation efforts will be taking place in those areas and customers found not to be in compliance with watering rules will receive a citation with Municipal Court fines costing up to $150 for first-time offenses.
Nearly 6,000 water waste citations have been issued this year, and neighborhood patrolling will continue, including inside gated communities, the press release states.
Customers can see a graphic explanation of the leak priorities, as well as the site for reported leaks on the leak and outage map.
SAWS customers are currently under Stage 2 restrictions. During Stage 2, watering with a sprinkler, irrigation system or soaker hose is allowed only between 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m. on your designated day which is determined by the last digit of your address.
- 0 or 1 - Monday
- 2 or 3 - Tuesday
- 4 or 5 - Wednesday
- 6 or 7 - Thursday
- 8 or 9 - Friday
