H-E-B, West Side computer technology plant top list of SAWS commercial water users

SAN ANTONIO – H-E-B’s Rittiman Highway manufacturing complex applied almost 266 million gallons of potable h2o from June 2021 to this June, information obtained by KSAT Investigates verify.

The significant North East side campus, which contains 8 production facilities, topped the checklist of professional consumers of drinking water in the course of the 12-thirty day period interval by a huge margin.

Tower Semiconductor, a personal computer engineering plant in the 9600 block of Westover Hills, was next on the checklist with potable h2o use in the course of that same time period of time of additional than 214 million gallons.

Prime users not drinking water wasters

“Big does not always signify inefficient,” reported Karen Guz, conservation director for the San Antonio H2o System.

She reported the utility has experienced “not infrequent” contact with commercial people in the prime 10 list in previous a long time.

Potable drinking water is risk-free to drink, prepare dinner with and for bathing.

Guz, who pointed out that SAWS operates with its prospects to realize about a billion gallons of discounts yearly, mentioned businesses at the top of the checklist have seemed for ground breaking methods to cut down on potable drinking water utilization.

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H-E-B officers, for illustration, said when the company can make some products and solutions, drinking water is used to clean up and method certain ingredients. That drinking water is reclaimed, filtered, cleaned and employed once more in the process.

A spokeswoman for the grocery large explained to KSAT Investigates in a prepared statement:

“H-E-B is 1 of the biggest meals producers in the region, developing foodstuff for Texans across the point out. Several of the merchandise clients see on our cabinets are proudly manufactured here in San Antonio. H-E-B operates 8 production services at our Rittiman Highway campus, like 1 of the greatest dairy and meat vegetation in the southern U.S. Meals manufacturing can use large amounts of h2o as an ingredient and to help manage foodstuff security, sanitization, and secure operations. Across our small business, by the adoption of revolutionary systems and productive processes, we do the job tough to substantially reduce our water use, which lowers fees for our business enterprise and our prospects. At H-E-B, we are deeply fully commited to conserving our all-natural assets and safeguarding the land, h2o and air of Texas for generations to come.”

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Media relations officers with Tower Semiconductor did not respond to a number of e-mail seeking remark for this tale.

Guz reported the plant will have to use “very pure water” in the production of selected technologies elements but has taken methods to preserve when possible, taking component in numerous rebate jobs with SAWS’ conservation division and making use of a reverse osmosis procedure.

Two San Antonio concept parks, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio, were being 3rd and fourth on the record of business use.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas

A 6 Flags spokesman outlined the park’s operate to conserve h2o by means of electronic mail immediately after records unveiled it used around 209 million gallons of potable drinking water from June 2021 to this June:

“The total of potable drinking water we use features h2o for all fountain drinks, as perfectly as water bottle refill fountains for all of our crew customers and the thousands of company browsing on a each day foundation. Also, all refreshment stands serve cups of complimentary drinking water to any visitor on request. This amenity is even a lot more critical during these times of serious heat when suitable hydration is so essential as we experience a file-setting quantity of 100 diploma times.

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“We are aware of the importance of drinking water conservation, and with the restricted sources of our aquifer, we have normally been and will carry on to be professional-active in discovering further means to minimize usage.

• We have changed landscapes with extra indigenous and drought-tolerant crops.

• We recycle park runoff h2o into an irrigation lake and use it to drinking water landscape beds.

• We have mounted drinking water-preserving plumbing fixtures (sinks/toilets).

• All of our attractive fountains, waterfalls and h2o capabilities make use of a closed re-circulation procedure and are mostly fed from rain runoff and captured air-conditioning condensation.

• The h2o utilised in our water parks is filtered, dealt with and re-circulated.”

SeaWorld

SeaWorld, which used practically 206 million gallons in the course of the very same time period, has taken ways to lessen utilization as properly.

In an electronic mail, a SeaWorld spokesman told KSAT Investigates:

“Potable water is vital in all places necessitating human use, which includes kitchen area and eating regions, rest room facilities, children’s h2o participate in spots, and waterpark rides and slides. Drinking water consumption is based mostly on variables which includes guest consumption traits and features and layout of an attraction. Triple-digit temperatures play a element in drinking water intake as very well, as guests use extra and there is enhanced evaporation. SeaWorld has extensive been an business that is dedicated to conservation. We utilize techniques to reduce potable drinking water usage that include adhering to San Antonio Drinking water Systems constraints, collecting and recycle condensate h2o, turning off fountains, and using lower circulation h2o fixtures in guest and employee services.”

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Methodist Health care

Methodist Healthcare rounded out the leading 5 with more than 192 million gallons used from June 2021 to this June.

A Methodist spokeswoman advised KSAT Investigates by means of email:

“The use of drinking water in a health treatment location is important to the basic safety and cleanliness of our individuals. H2o plays an important purpose, from washing surgical instruments and machines to use in lifestyle-saving gadgets like dialysis devices. In addition, drinking water is necessary to run the cooling products for each and every of our facilities. Our 8 hospitals also use drinking water for some of the same reasons you would use it in your individual residence – to cook, launder, shower and flush the bathroom. That needs a considerable amount of money of drinking water contemplating Methodist Healthcare is the greatest health treatment program in South Texas. More than the summer months, we knowledgeable a spike in affected person quantity, which called for more drinking water usage. That utilization was necessary to satisfy our patient’s demands in a environment whereby we are caring for them 24/7, each and every day of the yr.”

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Bexar County, CarbonFree Chemical substances, Town of San Antonio, CPS and Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages took places 6-10.

SAWS is no longer expected to release residential drinking water use records right after the Texas legislature previous 12 months handed a point out legislation building specified utility buyer information confidential.

Recycled drinking water in substantial need

Lots of San Antonio providers have lessened their potable drinking water usage by making use of SAWS’ recycled h2o item, which prices less than potable h2o and includes additional vitamins and minerals.

“Our recycled drinking water products will come from our sewage remedy crops, exactly where we deal with all of the effluents, we connect with it, that arrives from all of our consumers and take care of it to a extremely superior amount. It is not very to ingesting standards, but it’s a really superior products that’s sent up by way of the purple pipe distributions procedure,” mentioned Guz.

Topping the checklist of reuse h2o customers from June last yr to this June was Blue Wing Club Inc., which SAWS officers described as a South Facet turf grower.

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Blue Wing Club eaten more than 274 million gallons of reuse water.

Toyota was 2nd on the checklist of reuse drinking water at more than 208 million gallons, documents show.

“Toyota’s a large operation and exactly where they can, they try to use the recycled water item and then in which they just can’t, they use potable h2o,” reported Guz.