SAN ANTONIO – A newly-released report by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center ranks San Antonio second among Texas' largest cities on its "Texas Stormwater Scorecard."
San Antonio continues to make headway on low-impact development, or development that does not harm the environment.
Jake Aalfs, a landscape architect for the San Antonio River Authority, said a new rebate program offered by SARA is an incentive for participation in various environmentally-friendly developments.
"Bioretention, rain garden, bioswale, cistern, permeable parking. There's about 10 different methods," he said.
While the terms may sound foreign, they are part of a landscape design revolution to create green infrastructure. The growing movement is being helped along by organizations like SARA, which for the third year in a row is accepting applications for the "Watershed Wise: Rebate."
"The rebate is good for a minimum of $15,000, up to $100,000 per project," Aalfs said.
The program is aimed at potentially covering the cost of a low-impact, non-residential landscape project.
"Each of the previous years, we've given away all the money," Aalfs said. "(It's in) high demand. We're getting in applications already, so we really encourage people to apply soon."
The money comes from SARA's budget, which is allocated by its board. The goal of the rebate program is a cleaner San Antonio River.
"This cleans the water and filters it and polishes it before it goes into the river, which really removes things like metals, sediments and bacteria," Aalfs said.
The water quality of the San Antonio River is slowly improving, Aalfs said.
"Not only are we educating the public, but we're educating designers, developers, engineers and landscape architects," he said.
The rebate is intended for non-residential (non-single family) projects, but can be used in apartment complexes and Homeowner Association common areas.
Locations in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties are eligible for the rebate.
