Water advocates talk aquifer pollution

Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't.

On Wednesday, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance released a report on the “pollution prevention systems” and called on the public to report any nonworking ones.

“We saw how effective SAWS' Water Waster Program was, and we would like to see a million eyes on these,” said GEAA executive director Annalisa Peace.

Standing at the back of the parking lot of a razed Barnacle Bill's restaurant at Loop 1604 and U.S. 281, Peace pointed to a row of basins that she said were not functioning.

When working properly, the basins are designed to hold the first inch of rainfall for up to 48 hours. In this time, contaminants carried by the water should settle or be filtered out and the cleaner water allowed to gradually flow into storm catchments, streets or streams.

The designs of the basins have to be approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and in Bexar County by the San Antonio Water System. The Edwards Aquifer Authority also reviews the plans.

The problem, GEAA points out in its report, is not that the basins are poorly designed but that they are often not maintained. It is a problem SAWS and the EAA are working to fix.

“Our experience is that the greatest challenge is a lack of understanding by landowners,” said EAA spokesman Roland Ruiz.

The basins should not retain water for more than 72 hours after a rain. The ones using a sand filter should not have heavy vegetation on top and should be regularly cleaned out and tilled to prevent a seal of sediment from forming above the sand.