TCEQ Agrees On Revised Plan to Protect Aquifer, Fight Helotes Fire.

With New Safeguards in Place, SAWS Trustees Vote to Allow Use of SAWS Water at Site

SAN ANTONIO -- After a week of intense discussions and hard decisions focused on the health and well-being of area residents, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has agreed to modifications to the current firefighting plan that will both safeguard the Edwards Aquifer and allow firefighting efforts to move forward immediately.

To voice their cautious-yet-optimistic acceptance of the revised plan, SAWS Trustees voted today to rescind their previous resolution authorizing court action to prevent water use on the burning debris pile. This decision will allow TCEQ to use SAWS water on the fire under very strictly regulated and monitored conditions, as outlined in the modified plan.

Board Chairman Alex BriseSo said the firm position taken by SAWS and the City of San Antonio earlier in the week has resulted in a plan of action that can accomplish everyone's goals.

"We did not make our decisions lightly, nor did we make them without a full understanding of the implications of those decisions," BriseSo said. "We did make them, however, knowing that our obligation is to protect the safety and well-being of our citizens and customers - by protecting the quality of our primary source of water. Our decisions have not gone unheeded or unnoticed, and today we have something to show for it: Additional safeguards for the Edwards Aquifer."

The revised TCEQ plan will consist of a Test Period and a Monitoring Period.

Test Period

Day 1: SAWS will provide water to fill the clay-lined quenching pit.

Day 2: The pit will be monitored for 24 hours to ensure no leaks exist.

Days 3-5: SAWS will provide up to 300,000 gallons per day for firefighting efforts on the debris pile.

Days 6-7: All firefighting efforts will cease for two days for additional well monitoring. No additional water will be used on the site during this time.

Monitoring of water quality in 31 area wells will take place twice per day throughout the Test Period. If any degradation to water quality is detected, or if any leakage from the pit is detected, all firefighting efforts will cease.

Monitoring Period

If water quality degradation is not detected during the Test Period, firefighting efforts will continue on Day 8 under the following terms:

TCEQ has agreed to implement additional monitoring safeguards. They, along with SAWS and the EAA, will monitor 31 area wells extensively.

TCEQ has agreed to add a contingency plan that was not in the plan before. They will immediately cease firefighting operations at the first sign of any water quality degradation.

TCEQ will limit the use of water on the entire site to no more than 300,000 gallons per day. That water is metered by SAWS and the volume of use will be monitored closely.

Most importantly, TCEQ has committed that if their plan, even with these additional safeguards, results in any water quality degradation of the aquifer, either during the Test Period or the Monitoring Period, they will actively and cooperatively pursue a new plan that does not include the use of water on the mulch pile.

"We want to reiterate that our position on this issue is to preserve the quality of our water supply and the protection of our Aquifer," BriseSo said. "The assurances agreed to by the Executive Director of TCEQ show that they have received our message loud and clear. TCEQ underestimated this community's love and commitment for the Edwards Aquifer. SAWS and the City of San Antonio's actions to date are a demonstration of that commitment."

SAWS Trustee and San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger also expressed his optimism over the new approach. "I'm pleased that TCEQ and SAWS will be moving forward together as cooperative partners to both fight this fire and protect the Edwards Aquifer," he said. "We are pleased that the TCEQ, the City of San Antonio, and the San Antonio Water System have been able to reach an agreement that will bring some relief to the citizens in the Helotes area," said Glenn Shankle, executive director, TCEQ. "We will implement our plan to extinguish the fire using a minimal amount of water on the pile, but use enough to guarantee safety for the firefighters, protection for the equipment, and some smoke suppression for public safety. At the same time, there are testing safeguards in place to assure protection of the Edwards Aquifer."

Since 1992, San Antonio Water System has provided leadership in managing and developing water resources in the San Antonio region. Water and wastewater services are provided to more than one million consumers in the San Antonio area.