SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio City Council members had little reservation Thursday morning approving a resolution to keep a unique two-part water quality project in place. Now it will be up to San Antonio voters to decide if the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program and the Linear Creekway Parks Development Program will remain.
The Edwards Aquifer Protection Program is used to purchase land and conservation easements on land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. Since the program's inception in 2000, more than 133,000 acres have been purchased or are regulated by the city of San Antonio in parts of Medina, Uvalde and Bexar counties.
Those involved believe that by overseeing the properties, the city's water quality will be protected well into the future.
"It keeps us from having to have regulations," said Dr. Francine Romero, chairperson of the Conservation Advisory Board. "Regulations are unpopular. They have an impact on property rights, but they also don't work that well, because they always come in after the fact, after your water starts getting contaminated."
San Antonians have three times voted in favor of the programs in 2000, 2005 and 2010.
"Nationwide, worldwide, we are the only program of this scope," said Romero.
Meanwhile, the other aspect of the project deals with the San Antonio's Linear Creekway Parks Development. The linear parks are built along waterways across the city, with the goal of protecting water quality. The additional money would go toward enhancing current parks and building new linear parks in the city.
In total, $180 million is needed, which will be paid for through an eighth of a cent sales tax. $100 million is needed for the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program and $80 million is needed for the Linear Creekway Parks Development.
Voters will have the final say in a special election on May 9.