Perhaps the most famous attribute associated with the city of San Antonio is the Alamo, but take that away, and what is the first image that comes to mind?
Okay, maybe it's the Spurs, but what else? Of course, it's water-related--the Riverwalk.
A landlocked city like San Antonio has a unique relationship with water as the San Antonio River serves as the epicenter for tourism, hosting millions of visitors who frequent the countless hotels, restaurants and shops in the downtown area along the river and beyond.
As host of this year's American Water Works Association (AWWA) Annual Conference & Exposition 2006 (ACE06), June 11 to 15 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio caters to its relationship with water as it shows off a wide variety of municipal and industrial water-related applications to attendees of the "World's Water Event." Examples include the diverse floodwater retention system for the San Antonio River; the Bexar Metropolitan Ultrafiltration Water Treatment Plant (see our Plant Profile on page 37); San Antonio Sea World's water treatment processes; the Edwards Aquifer; and the Western Canyon Water Treatment Plant.
Complementing the variety of water treatment applications is the recent announcement that San Antonio was recognized as having the best drinking water in Texas for 2006. The award was bestowed upon the San Antonio Water System, the water and wastewater utility serving the greater San Antonio area, by the Texas section of AWWA during the Texas Water Conference held earlier this year. As such, San Antonio's water earns an automatic bid into the AWWA's Water Taste Test to be held during ACE06. We'll see if they can capitalize on the home field advantage.
On a similar note, another water-related milestone was made public during National Drinking Water Week, May 7 to 13. It was reported that some San Antonio residents are no longer totally dependent on aquifer water, as reservoir water began flowing from their taps in late April. Water from Canyon Lake via the Western Canyon Pipeline flowed into the San Antonio water system, enough to serve 12,000 households, a first for the area.
Even though the reservoir water mixes with the aquifer water before reaching people’s homes, relieving some of the dependence on the aquifer, a strain on the aquifer remains.
According to reports, the water of the Edwards Aquifer is currently at an average level for this time of the year; however, recent weather may force the level to dip below 650 f--the stage at which drought restrictions are implemented.
Edwards Aquifer officials cite recent dry weather patterns and above-average temperatures this spring as reasons for concern. The possibility for additional drought restrictions remains real when ACE06 heads into town, as the water level of the aquifer is expected to drop unless there is significant rainfall.
Knowing this type of situation all too well, the 13,000+ attendees in town for ACE06 should certainly do their part to help San Antonio conserve water.
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