It is the goal of SAWS to work with our customers, both business and residential, to promote conservation. We do not wish to see our customers cited under the city ordinance. Therefore, if a business or residence receives a warning or notice of a citation for a water waste violation, it is important that they contact SAWS Conservation Division immediately at 704-7354. That allows us the opportunity to work with the customer in order to work out a solution to the problem.

Please remember that these steps are not a change to the City Ordinance. They are simply the internal policy of SAWS in dealing with water waste violations, and are intended to benefit our customers and our continuing conservation efforts.

I. Contact List and Communications Process

The San Antonio Apartment Association (SAAA), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Institute of Real Estate Managers (IREM) or individual building owners or managers have the opportunity to provide SAWS with local contact information, supervisory contact information, and legal responsibility information that can be used to alert local businesses when a complaint has been filed.

A. The local contact and the supervisory contact will receive a visit or a phone call from a Customer Service Representative or Conservation Planner prior to the facility being placed on the Water Waster list.

B. If the contact person agrees to correct the source of the complaint within three days or convinces the Conservation Department that they will solve a system design problem within one month, they will not be placed on the list. The assurance will be recorded in the Enforcement Database.

C. If the violation does not occur again within a period of six months, the record will be considered clear for the purpose of placement on the water waster list.

D. If the violation occurs within a period of three months, the local and supervisory contacts will be contacted but will immediately be placed on the water waster list.

E. The local contact and the supervisory contact will be contacted when a ticket is written and before it is submitted to the court. It may only be held up to three days in order for an actual solution to be completed. Promises of a solution are not enough.

II. Designated Contacts & Legal Responsibility Information

A. The local and/or supervisory contact person should know how to, and be willing to, shutoff the sprinkler when it is wasting water or malfunctioning.

B. The local and/or supervisory contact person should know how to set the irrigation system timer or should know how to, and be willing to, contact someone who can set the irrigation timer.

C. The local and/or supervisory contact person should be authorized to repair the existing irrigation system, or should have access to the person that can authorize repairs to be completed within three days.