Committee backs steps to reduce water shutoffs at San Antonio apartment complexes

The Municipal Utilities Committee on Wednesday voted to send to the full City Council a package of measures intended to reduce water disconnections at multifamily properties in San Antonio.

City staff told the committee the recommendations center on a mix of operational changes by the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), a new lien authority for large delinquent accounts and a targeted change to the city's proactive apartment inspection ordinance to make disconnection by the landlord an automatic trigger for enforcement.

The measures grew from a council consideration request (CCR) filed by Councilman Makir Rodriguez and Councilmember Aldrete Gavito and were presented to the committee by Mike Shannon, Development Services director. "SAWS has added to their normal processes over the past 6 months to a year: certified letters to the identified BCAD owner, formal site visits, and door hangers on each tenant's doors earlier," Shannon said. He told the committee those steps, plus expanded payment arrangement options, have already reduced the number of actual shutoffs.

Shannon recommended three parts: continue SAWS's expanded outreach and…