In San Antonio, Texas, monthly bills are estimated to increase almost 16% in the next two years due to the state’s dwindling water supply. This means that an average San Antonio monthly water bill will rise from $51.75 to $60.02 in just two years. Additionally, the San Antonio Water System, or SAWS, proposed a plan projecting annual rate increases all the way through 2020. Until a viable solution for water scarcity is created, rate increases should be expected in areas affected by water stress.[1]
The rising rates in San Antonio are to support sewer system upgrades and projects to increase the local water supply, including the 142-mile Vista Ridge pipeline, costing over $844 million. The cost of the pipeline has brought the Vista Ridge project under heavy scrutiny. Gene Dawson, president of Pape-Dawson Engineers, the project’s engineering and environmental consultant, said, “Yes, Vista Ridge is a difficult project. It’s going to take a lot of effort. But what the report is saying, if we’re unsuccessful with Vista Ridge, the risk is that we don’t have water security.”[1] During an update on the Vista Ridge pipeline, Dawson stated, “we could need up to 30 percent more water than SAWS is predicting.”[1]
Critics of the project are concerned with the serious impacts of pumping such large amounts of water from the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer. “Is my confidence waning? Yes,” said Councilman Ron Nirenberg in an interview, even after voting in favor of the project last October. [2] Even though the costs may weigh heavily on the community, water stressed cities like San Antonio must make crucial decisions to protect water supply. San Antonio needs a solution for their water stressed city, but must decide what they are willing to risk.
[1] Huddelston, Scott. Average SAWS home customer could pay 16 percent more by 2017. San Antonio Express News http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Average-SAWS-home-customer-could-pay-16-percent-6554833.php
[2] Neena Satija and Kiah Collier. New Questions Face San Antonio Water Pipeline. The Texas Tribune. http://www.texastribune.org/2015/10/14/san-antonio-water-pipeline-raises-new-questions/