As the dry spell drags on in San Antonio, the local water utility is cracking down on water wasters. The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is setting its sights on slackers who skirt drought restrictions, announcing a proposal to fine such offenders. In an overhaul of the current process, SAWS is looking to add fines directly to the bills of those caught ignoring the rules, according to a report by FOX San Antonio.
The proposed move is a two-fold strategy. Firstly, it simplifies enforcement by bypassing city-issued citations that involve court appearances. Secondly, it places emphasis on individual responsibility for conservation efforts during these harsh drought conditions. "If you're a SAWS customer, we need all SAWS customers to follow the watering rules during drought periods," Karen Guz, Vice President of Conservation at SAWS, told FOX San Antonio.
High rollers who splash more than twenty thousand gallons a month stand to get soaked with a ten-dollar-plus surcharge for every thousand gallons that flow beyond this threshold. But some are skeptical. Critics argue the fines might be a drop in the bucket for the well-heeled, too insubstantial to turn the tide of excessive water use.
Meanwhile, over at the San Antonio Business Journal, SAWS spills the beans on how they plan to clamp down across the board. Small fries using under a million gallons a year will see a $137 fee slapped onto their bill for non-compliance, while big fish will be on the hook for $500. The utility also teases other drought-time tweaks, such as changes to drip irrigation, inspection rules, and the introduction of drought surcharges in Stage 3 and Stage 4 drought conditions. "Managing through this drought has been intense and challenging," Guz admitted in a May 7 statement obtained by the San Antonio Business Journal.
SAWS' plan is not a done deal yet. Both their Board of Trustees and the San Antonio City Council have to sign off, with the council set to weigh in on June 13. Provided they get the green light, SAWS aims to roll out these rules by summertime, just as the mercury starts to climb. Customers won't be blindsided, though. They'll get a chance to review any violations before charges irrigate their bills. And first-timers who get caught can wash their record clean if they agree to an online course. Seems like SAWS is serious about squeezing every last drop of compliance out of San Antonians, aiming to make every gallon count as the water reserve levels continue to plummet.
Correction: This article previously referred to water reserve levels as reservoir levels.
