San Antonio hits 42-day drought, longest dry spell since 2015
SAN ANTONIO - Friday marks the 42nd day without measurable rain in San Antonio, the longest stretch since 2015.
San Antonio has not experienced significant rainfall since September 5th. With dry and sunny weather expected to continue in the forecast, there seems to be no relief in sight. This is the fourth time the city has had a rainless streak of at least 40 days since the 21st century.
"We hear some people saying that summer is over and assuming that means an end to the drought. Actually, the last five years are comparable to the drought of record in the '50s when the Edwards Aquifer saw record lows. This drought isn't over." said Karen Guz, SAWS Vice President of Conservation.
With stage 5 Edwards Aquifer pumping restrictions into effect at 625' at the J-17 well. Our city is close to reaching that and levels have been dropping rapidly. Stage 5 pumping restrictions would require a 44% cutback from the Edwards, which applies to SAWS.
SAWS is experiencing the effects of dry soil, which is causing main breaks around the city. They are predicting about 950 main breaks in October, an all-time high.
"The difference between the '50s and now is that San Antonio is prepared to successfully manage severe drought with diversified new water supplies and reasonable conservation programs," Guz continued. "We want to thank our customers for responding well to watering rules. They have been key to minimizing the effects of drought."
SAWS wants to remind residential customers that under new watering rules escalating water use for landscaping can be expensive. During these new rules, it is not a good time to invest in new turf grass or other vulnerable plants. Stage 3 surcharges go into effect when water use is above 20,000 gallons per month and can increase customers' bills significantly.
Customers who choose to install new turf grass or fill swimming pools can receive a non-compliance charge for watering turf grass on the wrong day and also see surcharges increase their final bill.
for details on watering rules and current droughts.
