City Council Adopts New Water Conservation Measures Eliminating 10% Discount Program

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo City Council on Tuesday adopted changes to the Water Conservation Plan which removes a ten percent discount for residents who conserve water but adds additional programs to assist low income and senior citizens.

The discount program was implemented in 2006 and issued credits to residential customers who used 3,000 gallons of water or less per month.  The program issued a ten percent discount based on the customer’s usage rate.  According to the staff report, the program rewarded customers who used 3,000 gallons more than those who used 1,000 or 2,000 gallons per month.

The average monthly credit issued to customers was $2.90 in 2017 and $3.41 last year. The changes the council adopted this week include a financial assistance program working with the Concho Valley Community Action Agency which already administers assistance programs for gas and electric utility bills for low income and senior citizens. The council approved allotting $50,000 per year for that program.

The council also approved a shower head and aerator distribution program which is estimated to save 44,676,000 gallons of water per year and assist 3,000 water customers.  The program budgeted $60,000 per year to replace shower heads, lavatory aerators and kitchen faucet aerators.

According to the presentation earlier this week, the current Conservation Discounts Program costs were $308,951.73 in 2015; $342,105.85 in 2016; $378,291.74 in 2017; and $451,026.85 in 2018

The council also adopted new language in the Water Conservation Plan to address a water supply emergency.  According to the 2019 draft Water Conservation Plan, “In the event of a water supply emergency, a water system failure or emergency (i.e., pressure zone deficiencies, chemical spills, broken water mains, power outages, failures of storage tanks or other equipment, treatment plant breakdown and/or water contamination) which limits the amount of water which may be treated or safely delivered through the system, the Water Utilities Director shall notify the City Manager and City Council of such occurrence. The City Council shall be authorized to limit the use of water by the passage of a resolution outlining such limitations, which shall remain in effect until the water supply emergency can be met. Upon initiation of a water supply emergency, the Water Utilities Director shall provide notice to the Executive Director of the TCEQ and shall notify the news media.”

The city is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to have the Water Conservation Plan and keep it up to date.  The city reviews and updates the Water Conservation Plan every five years to adjust goals and targets.  The last time the plan was reviewed was in 2014.

As of Thursday, Twin Buttes Reservoir was 71.3 percent full, Lake Nasworthy was at 92 percent of capacity, O.H. Ivie was 59.6 percent full, and O.C. Fisher was at 14.1 percent full.  There is additional rain forecast for Friday and Saturday.