INSIDER
River Aid San Antonio tackles litter problem with floating booms
Read full article: River Aid San Antonio tackles litter problem with floating boomsPeople will notice litter booms placed at Salado Creek in Comanche and MLK Park this week. The floating devices are set to help catch floating trash without impacting wildlife. River Aid San Antonio, a nonprofit organization, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the trash littering our waterways.
Monthlong boil water notice has residents of neighborhood near Floresville voicing concerns
Read full article: Monthlong boil water notice has residents of neighborhood near Floresville voicing concernsLast week, KSAT went to the Arrowhead subdivision, where the water was brown or highly chlorinated. In October, it even tested positive for E. coli. After that story aired, messages flowed in from people in the Shady Oaks community.
Boil water advisories can be confusing. Here are some safety tips from experts
Read full article: Boil water advisories can be confusing. Here are some safety tips from expertsThe city of Asheville has restored running water to most of its users nearly a month after Hurricane Helene damaged infrastructure and killed more than 200 people around the region.
Brown water, extreme chlorine smells: E. coli found in Floresville water sparks outrage
Read full article: Brown water, extreme chlorine smells: E. coli found in Floresville water sparks outrageForty-five homes in a Floresville, Texas subdivision depend on a well for water, but they tell KSAT that for about two years now, the water quality has them afraid for their health.
Texas agriculture commissioner’s new executive order aims to provide water for Rio Grande Valley farmers
Read full article: Texas agriculture commissioner’s new executive order aims to provide water for Rio Grande Valley farmersRio Grande Valley farmers' concerns about a lack of water are being addressed in a new executive order issued by state agriculture commissioner Sid Miller’s office.
KSAT Explains: Mexico’s lack of adherence to decades-old treaty leaves Rio Grande Valley farmers in peril
Read full article: KSAT Explains: Mexico’s lack of adherence to decades-old treaty leaves Rio Grande Valley farmers in perilA 1944 water-sharing treaty between the United States and Mexico is back in the spotlight and Rio Grande Valley farms are hanging in the balance.
SAWS launches lead service line outreach after new EPA ruling, Biden deadline
Read full article: SAWS launches lead service line outreach after new EPA ruling, Biden deadlineThe San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will conduct free line service inspections to identify lead and galvanized water lines on the same day President Biden set a 10-year deadline for cities to replace the piping.
Lakehills Community Center’s annual fundraiser could bring hope for Medina Lake
Read full article: Lakehills Community Center’s annual fundraiser could bring hope for Medina LakeThe Lakehills Community Center is hard at work to prepare for its biggest fundraiser yet. The team is just weeks out from the Medina Lake Cajun Festival, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. This year, getting the community together means a whole lot more.
‘We’re that anybody’: San Antonio family calls for help to make water connections more accessible
Read full article: ‘We’re that anybody’: San Antonio family calls for help to make water connections more accessibleA Council Consideration Request filed this year could create a pilot program to connect more people to SAWS water and sewer main lines.
Edwards Aquifer Authority declares Stage 4 water restrictions for Texas counties
Read full article: Edwards Aquifer Authority declares Stage 4 water restrictions for Texas countiesDue to declining levels, the Edwards Aquifer Authority declared Stage 4 water restrictions for permit holders in multiple counties throughout the remote San Antonio area.
SAISD says improvements have been made to reduce lead in water, but refuse to make anyone available for questions on how
Read full article: SAISD says improvements have been made to reduce lead in water, but refuse to make anyone available for questions on howIn the latest test on transparency, San Antonio ISD did not make anyone available to answer questions about how the district is addressing lead found in water at schools.
‘A monumental achievement’: Texas Water Development Board adopts first-ever statewide flood plan
Read full article: ‘A monumental achievement’: Texas Water Development Board adopts first-ever statewide flood planIn what the Texas Water Development Board chairwoman called a “monumental achievement,” officials voted Thursday to adopt the state’s first comprehensive flood plan, setting in motion years’ worth of planning.
City council members look to curb SAWS’ shut-off practices at properties with delinquent accounts
Read full article: City council members look to curb SAWS’ shut-off practices at properties with delinquent accountsOver the last two months, SAWS has either shut off or threatened to shut off water services at some local apartment complexes.
‘That’s what we live for’: Medina Lake community hopeful with recent rain, but still looking for more to come
Read full article: ‘That’s what we live for’: Medina Lake community hopeful with recent rain, but still looking for more to comeAs of Aug. 1, Water Data for Texas reported Medina Lake is 3.6% full. Last month, the lake was 2.4% full, a historic low.
Broken water line leads to flood of problems on city’s SE side
Read full article: Broken water line leads to flood of problems on city’s SE sidePeople complained of water outages, low water pressure, and traffic problems after an underground water main on SE Military broke. It also caused part of a sidewalk to crumble.
Parks & Rec inaugural program offers kids lesson in nature, outdoor fun
Read full article: Parks & Rec inaugural program offers kids lesson in nature, outdoor funSome kids had fun paddling a kayak and learning to use a bow and arrow at San Antonio Parks & Recreation’s inaugural program, Aim To Float.
Fish census: Natural Bridge Caverns checks in on health of property by counting fish
Read full article: Fish census: Natural Bridge Caverns checks in on health of property by counting fishBy finding out exactly what fish can be found in Cibolo Creek, which is part of the Natural Bridge Cavern's sprawling property, the owners can determine what needs to be done to keep their property healthy.
South Texas’ ongoing, long-term drought is drying up springs, lakes, and rivers. Here are the numbers.
Read full article: South Texas’ ongoing, long-term drought is drying up springs, lakes, and rivers. Here are the numbers.Records low water levels continue to plague area lakes and rivers, while springs are drying up. Where do we stand? And what does it mean for you?
Untreated water tied to salmonella outbreak in cucumbers that sickened 450 people in US
Read full article: Untreated water tied to salmonella outbreak in cucumbers that sickened 450 people in USFederal health officials say a Florida cucumber grower that used untreated water is one likely source of salmonella food poisoning that sickened nearly 450 people this spring.
San Antonio City Council passes new SAWS drought rules; includes higher fines, extra charge for heavy users
Read full article: San Antonio City Council passes new SAWS drought rules; includes higher fines, extra charge for heavy usersHigher fines and a new surcharge for heavy water users are among the new proposed drought rules up for a vote before the San Antonio City Council on Thursday.
SAWS shuts off water to multiple apartment complexes for unpaid bills
Read full article: SAWS shuts off water to multiple apartment complexes for unpaid billsHundreds of people woke up to water outages Tuesday morning. The San Antonio Water System says it was because the owners of their apartment complexes have failed to pay their water bills.
SAWS says new heavy use surcharge could help fend off reduced watering
Read full article: SAWS says new heavy use surcharge could help fend off reduced wateringSan Antonio Water System officials are hoping the city council approves new drought rules, which the city-owned utility says could help stave off harsher conservation measures.
‘We don’t have that’: South Bexar County residents face hefty bill to buy water meters even after $400K project
Read full article: ‘We don’t have that’: South Bexar County residents face hefty bill to buy water meters even after $400K projectMultiple homes along Dixie Lee in South Bexar County are not connected to the public water supply. Residents said they now have to spend thousands to gain access to the public water supply.
Texas Parks and Wildlife on high alert during holiday weekend
Read full article: Texas Parks and Wildlife on high alert during holiday weekendThe scorching temperatures will push many towards a lake, river or body of water this holiday weekend. Texas game wardens urge families to keep water safety in mind.
Scenic Loop: A neighborhood that plays a big role in water quality for the rest of San Antonio
Read full article: Scenic Loop: A neighborhood that plays a big role in water quality for the rest of San AntonioThe neighborhoods that comprise the Scenic Loop Helotes Creek Alliance are focused on water and it's at the heart of their battle against developers. Many homes in the neighborhood are part of the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program.
Texas’ only sugar mill shuts down after 50 years due to water shortage
Read full article: Texas’ only sugar mill shuts down after 50 years due to water shortageThe Texas Farm Bureau said the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers mill no longer had adequate water to sustain operations, an issue the bureau blames on ongoing water issues with Mexico under the 1944 Water Treaty.
Residents near Trinity Aquifer warn of pollution, ecological impact amid proposed wastewater plant
Read full article: Residents near Trinity Aquifer warn of pollution, ecological impact amid proposed wastewater plantResidents and organizations in the Grey Forest area are expressing concerns over the potential pollution risks associated with approving a wastewater permit by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Northwest Bexar County residents fight to stop waste water from being dumped near Edwards Aquifer
Read full article: Northwest Bexar County residents fight to stop waste water from being dumped near Edwards AquiferHelotes and Grey Forest residents are asking for more voices to join their cause to stop the legal dumping of millions of gallons of treated wastewater just miles from the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone.
Homeowners facing septic ‘nightmare’ celebrate after securing $2M to connect to SAWS sewer system
Read full article: Homeowners facing septic ‘nightmare’ celebrate after securing $2M to connect to SAWS sewer systemAfter years of fearing the rain, homeowners in a far north Bexar County neighborhood left the Bexar County Courthouse smiling.
Unhealthy amounts of lead found in water at multiple San Antonio ISD schools
Read full article: Unhealthy amounts of lead found in water at multiple San Antonio ISD schoolsNearly 60 drinking fountains in Bexar County schools tested over the EPA threshold on the first round of testing for lead. Of those, 49 were at SAISD schools.
Hill Country conference brings communities together for sustainable water solutions
Read full article: Hill Country conference brings communities together for sustainable water solutionsThe conference was organized in partnership between the City of Boerne, the Cibolo Center for Conservation and the Hill Country Alliance, a non-profit that aims to protect the Hill Country’s unique resources and heritage.
San Antonio River Authority endorses Prop. 6, aimed at strengthening Texas’ water infrastructure
Read full article: San Antonio River Authority endorses Prop. 6, aimed at strengthening Texas’ water infrastructureThe San Antonio River Authority’s (SARA) Board of Directors adopted a resolution endorsing Proposition 6, which would — if approved by voters in November — create more investments in Texas’ water infrastructure and finance water projects.
SAWS citations quadruple after water company increases drought patrols
Read full article: SAWS citations quadruple after water company increases drought patrolsSan Antonio has been under stage 2 watering restrictions since April of 2022 but the number of citations issued to customers found to be in violation of the watering rules has quadrupled in recent months.
San Antonio makes breaks and water mandatory - for city contracts only
Read full article: San Antonio makes breaks and water mandatory - for city contracts onlyOn another scorching summer day Thursday, the San Antonio City Council passed a new mandate requiring contractors on city job sites to provide shade, water, and breaks for construction workers.
San Antonio resident questions high SAWS bill at empty house
Read full article: San Antonio resident questions high SAWS bill at empty houseA San Antonio Water System customer is trying to understand why his water bill is hoovering around $400 when there's no one living in the house. He says he's tired of the water company blaming everything on a water leak on the customers side.
Feds want 2 rare catfish added to endangered species list after years of over-pumping Edwards Aquifer
Read full article: Feds want 2 rare catfish added to endangered species list after years of over-pumping Edwards AquiferTwo cave-dwelling catfish species from the San Antonio area might be added to the endangered species list after federal officials say too much water is being pumped out of the Edwards Aquifer.
Texas’ environmental agency enables companies to increase oilfield wastewater disposal in rivers
Read full article: Texas’ environmental agency enables companies to increase oilfield wastewater disposal in riversResearchers are still studying the chemical makeup of “produced water” from Permian Basin oil fields. But regulators say they’re ready to issue permits to discharge the water into rivers and creeks.
Wasting water could cost you in Fair Oaks Ranch. Here’s how to avoid surcharge fees
Read full article: Wasting water could cost you in Fair Oaks Ranch. Here’s how to avoid surcharge feesThe Guadalupe River has stopped flowing, so people who depend on that water are now being asked to cut back on their use.
9 northwest Bexar County businesses lose water service after non-SAWS contractor breaks water main
Read full article: 9 northwest Bexar County businesses lose water service after non-SAWS contractor breaks water mainSan Antonio Water System crews are working to restore water service to several businesses that lost it after a local contractor’s work went awry, according to SAWS officials.
Fukushima residents worry nuclear plant's wastewater release in a few weeks will be another setback
Read full article: Fukushima residents worry nuclear plant's wastewater release in a few weeks will be another setbackWithin weeks, the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is expected to start releasing treated radioactive wastewater into the sea, a highly contested plan facing fierce protests in and outside Japan.
Water-saving and energy-efficient products will be sales-tax free last weekend in May
Read full article: Water-saving and energy-efficient products will be sales-tax free last weekend in MayIf you need a new dishwasher, plants to spruce up the yard, or just want to stock up on light bulbs, Memorial Day weekend may be the time to shop. Texans pay no sales tax on qualifying energy-saving and water-saving appliances and products.
UN chief urges 'game-changing' commitments on clean water
Read full article: UN chief urges 'game-changing' commitments on clean waterThe United Nations chief is urging the first world conference on water in more than 45 years to address the “21st century emergency” that is wasting the world’s most important resource and has left billions of people without clean water and basic sanitation.
Black and Hispanic Texans say they don’t trust the quality of their water
Read full article: Black and Hispanic Texans say they don’t trust the quality of their waterA survey was commissioned by the nonprofit organization Texas Water Trade and included responses from households in both rural border communities and in urban areas across Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Boil water notice issued for New Braunfels Utilities customers within Riverchase Pressure Zone
Read full article: Boil water notice issued for New Braunfels Utilities customers within Riverchase Pressure ZoneAll customers within the affected area should boil their water for two minutes before drinking it, washing hands, bathing, or brushing their teeth.
Hydration may be linked to longer, disease-free life, a new study finds
Read full article: Hydration may be linked to longer, disease-free life, a new study findsMany know drinking water is vital for health, but a new study by the National Institutes of Health in the journal eBioMedicine has discovered that hydration can potentially be a preventive approach to prolong a disease-free lifespan.
Neighbor steps in to help residents as water wells around Medina Lake dry up
Read full article: Neighbor steps in to help residents as water wells around Medina Lake dry upCahill, said he charges about $125 to $150 per trip for people in the lake area, and more for others farther away, but he tries to keep the charges low. The “slim profit” he makes goes toward paying off the new, deeper well he had to have dug for more than $28,000.
Frustrations flaring over continued boil water notices, lack of service
Read full article: Frustrations flaring over continued boil water notices, lack of serviceNumerous people in Kerr, Bandera, and Bexar counties are struggling with little to no water, and those who still have service to their homes have been under a boil water notice for nearly a week.
Boil water notices lifted for communities in Bandera, Bexar, Kerr counties
Read full article: Boil water notices lifted for communities in Bandera, Bexar, Kerr countiesTexas Water Utilities lifted the remaining precautionary boil water notices for more than 1,500 households northwest of San Antonio on Friday afternoon, ending a days-long challenge for people to get clean tap water.
Here are some easy ways to help conserve water
Read full article: Here are some easy ways to help conserve waterWhen you think of water conservation, do you think of turning off your sprinklers and taking shorter showers? While these are great habits, there are some even easier ways to lower your water consumption.
Why does the city plan to remove or relocate 77 trees in Brackenridge Park? KSAT Explains
Read full article: Why does the city plan to remove or relocate 77 trees in Brackenridge Park? KSAT ExplainsSome structures in the park date back to the 1700s but initial plans for restoration have been controversial
TCEQ notified Derby water supplier of compliance investigation before water shut off
Read full article: TCEQ notified Derby water supplier of compliance investigation before water shut offThe community of Derby has had to depend on donations of bottled water to cook, clean and go to the bathroom for the last month and a half.
Frio County Judge weighs in on water concerns for Derby
Read full article: Frio County Judge weighs in on water concerns for DerbyDerby residents have had its water cut off since August 6 and more than a month later they’re still without water. The water provider, Derby ING, says they do not have a timeline for when water will be restored.
Residents in rural Frio County town without water for one month and counting
Read full article: Residents in rural Frio County town without water for one month and countingResidents in Derby, a rural town in Frio County about 10 miles southwest of Pearsall, have been without running water since August 6, according to the private company that supplies the town's water.
The top 10 commercial San Antonio water users
Read full article: The top 10 commercial San Antonio water usersThe Business Journal obtained records from SAWS that show information about the highest users of potable water, providing insight into how much water these massive businesses and institutions use.
Spring Branch residents concerned about wastewater amid new development proposal
Read full article: Spring Branch residents concerned about wastewater amid new development proposalDozens of Spring Branch residents attended a meeting hosted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) after bringing up concerns about the release of treated wastewater into a creek that feeds into Canyon Lake and the possible development of more than 700 homes.
This center has over a dozen interactive, immersive water education exhibits
Read full article: This center has over a dozen interactive, immersive water education exhibitsWith over a dozen interactive and immersive water education exhibits, the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s Education Outreach Center is now opened.
Dog dies within an hour of visiting ‘Barking Springs’ swimming hole. Toxic algae could be to blame.
Read full article: Dog dies within an hour of visiting ‘Barking Springs’ swimming hole. Toxic algae could be to blame.A visit to Austin’s “Barking Springs” resulted in the death of a dog and city officials believe it might have to do with toxic algae exposure.
Boil Water Notice rescinded in Kirby 4 days after ‘major emergency’ led to citywide loss of water
Read full article: Boil Water Notice rescinded in Kirby 4 days after ‘major emergency’ led to citywide loss of waterThe water in Kirby is now safe to drink without the need to boil. The Boil Water Notice was rescinded Tuesday, four days after a combination of issues led to a citywide loss of water.
How does the Edwards Aquifer work & why is it so heavily regulated? KSAT Explains
Read full article: How does the Edwards Aquifer work & why is it so heavily regulated? KSAT ExplainsThe aquifer is the primary source of water for millions of us around South Central Texas and the Hill Country. Its health and future affects us all.
SAWS: Routine testing prevents E. coli bacteria from entering drinking system on North Side
Read full article: SAWS: Routine testing prevents E. coli bacteria from entering drinking system on North SideA raw, untreated water sample from a well on San Antonio's Northside during standard water quality sampling indicated the presence of E. coli bacteria, according to San Antonio Water System.
First water wells to supply drinking water in San Antonio getting repairs
Read full article: First water wells to supply drinking water in San Antonio getting repairsThe artisan wells that are 130 years old are actually still used to supply downtown San Antonio with drinking water and the historical water wells are in need of repairs.