산 안토니오 시의회가 산 안토니오 수도(SAWS)와 비스타 릿지 컨소시엄(VRC) 간의 계약을 승인했다. 이 계약은 향후 30년 동안 산 안토니오에 에드워드가 아닌 새 대수층(Aquifer) 물을 163억 갤런 제공하는 계약이며, 물을 운반하는 데 사용되는 파이프라인도 소유할 수 있게 된다.

이 계약은 142마일의 배관을 통해 벌레슨(Burleson) 카운티로부터 오는 물의 운반을 요구할 계획이다. 의회 승인은 3년간 숙고한 과정의 마지막 단계이다. VRC는 현재 자금 준비까지 30개월이 남았으며, 프로젝트 시공에 42개월을 남기고 있다.

 

 

 

Today in a unanimous vote, the San Antonio City Council approved a contract between the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and Vista Ridge Consortium (VRC) to bring 16.3 billion gallons of new non-Edwards Aquifer water to San Antonio annually for 30 years, as well as own the pipeline used to transport the water.

 

The contract will require the transport of water from Burleson County through a 142-mile distribution pipeline. Council approval of the contract is the last step in a process that has been under consideration for over three years. VRC now has up to 30 months to arrange financing followed by 42 months to construct the project. SAWS payments to Vista Ridge will not begin until the project is delivering water.

 

VRC is a partnership between Abengoa and BlueWater Systems, which has assembled 3,400 leases for water rights with local landowners in Burleson and Milam counties. Under the terms of the contract, San Antonio will not pay for any water that is not made available for delivery, ultimately shifting major regulatory risks to the private developer instead of San Antonio ratepayers.

 

During the deepest stage of drought, San Antonio's access to the Edwards Aquifer is reduced by 44 percent. Water from the Vista Ridge project is a drought-proof supply that will be delivered even in the deepest drought.

 

SAWS set new benchmarks for transparency with a series of posted negotiation meetings that were open to the public and attended by the news media, elected officials, environmental groups, and general public. Contract terms have been a matter of public record since late July. SAWS provided public information on 188 different occasions, including community presentations, meetings and tours.

 

Since 1992, SAWS has been a leader in innovative water management strategies, making San Antonio one of the most resourceful cities for water. Further, water and wastewater services are provided to more than one million consumers in the San Antonio region.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2014년 10월 31일]