Express-News
Saturday, August 14, 2004
By Calvin Finch, Conservation Director, SAWS, and Horticulturist

LOCAL BUSINESSES RECOGNIZED FOR CONTRIBUTING TO WATER SAVINGS

            The people of San Antonio and the San Antonio Water System have received awards for their success in reducing per capita water use. The Texas Water Conservation Association declared the whole City of San Antonio as Conservationist of the Year and the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) awarded SAWS its President’s Award for the best environmental program in the nation.

            Almost everyone is contributing to the reduction. A couple of months ago SAWS recognized businesses that are leading the way at the WaterSaver Awards. Each year the awards are presented at a breakfast in June. Here are the 2004 winners.

            Bob Ross Realty – In 2003, Bob Ross Realty began the process of retrofitting 900 high-flow toilets in all of their multi-family residential establishments.  Through procurement of the newest generation of flapperless toilets, Bob Ross Realty will reduce annual water use by approximately 10 million gallons per year and ensure that the savings are sustained. 

            Division Laundry – In 2003, Division Laundry replaced their existing “large pocket” extractor washers, in their main washroom, with more efficient tunnel washers.  This retrofit effectively reduces total water use by 30 percent or 10 million gallons per year.

            Greater San Antonio Builders Association – The Greater San Antonio Builders Association and SAWS entered into a partnership to encourage new homebuyers to select the water conservation option called Welcome H₂ome between now and January 2006. GSABA will support an ordinance requiring that all new homes have water-conserving landscapes.  SAWS estimates that the Welcome H₂ome partnership will reduce projected water needs by approximately 2% in future years. The water savings will mean that more water will be available for growth of our community and that the savings will make it possible to delay the need for high-priced new water sources.

            Lackland Air Force Base – Through development and implementation of a comprehensive water management plan, Lackland Air Force Base was able to reduce water consumption in 2003 by approximately 100 million gallons.  This reduction is the result of such projects as extensive public information campaigns, plumbing retrofits, the replacement of water-cooled systems with new air-cooled systems, and upgrades in cooling water treatment programs.  In addition, Lackland Air Force Base will further reduce consumption by an additional 137 million gallons upon completion of a Recycled Water Project that is currently under construction.

            San Antonio Restaurant Association – The San Antonio Restaurant Association played a major partnership role in working with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) to develop the new SAWS WaterSaver Restaurant Certification Program.  This program, which began in May of this year, is expected to result in savings of 244 million gallons per year.

            Riverwalk Plaza Hotel – The Riverwalk Plaza Hotel installed a new ozone water purification system that results in significant reductions in water demands for processing hotel linens. This system eliminates two fill steps from the washing process and reduces water use by 34% or 410,000 gallons per year.

City Public Service – City Public Service incorporated a cooling tower blowdown recovery system into the design of their new Primary Control Center, located on W.W. White Rd.  This system recovers water that would normally be drained from the cooling tower into the sanitary sewer and reuses it for landscape irrigation.  This system will result in savings of approximately one million gallons per year.