UTSA to host Texas Water Symposium on Vista Ridge pipeline project Oct. 21

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(Oct. 12, 2015) — An upcoming Texas Water Symposium, set for October 21 in San Antonio will take a close look at the SAWS/Vista Ridge pipeline project. The program will feature a conversation about the regional, financial and ecological considerations of the 142-mile pipeline.

The Texas Water Symposium is free, open to the public, and will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, in room 0.106 of the Main Building at The University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249.

The Symposium will be moderated by Kiah Collier, an environmental reporter for The Texas Tribune, and panelists will include:

Robert Puente, CEO of the San Antonio Water System (SAWS)

Alan Dutton Ph.D., PG, hydro geologist and Associate Professor at UTSA Department of Geological Sciences

Calvin Finch Ph.D., formerly with the Texas A&M University Institute of Renewable Natural Resources

Sharlene Leurig, director of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Program at Ceres

Annalisa Pease, executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance

The Hill Country’s urban population continues to grow, and with that growth comes an increase in water demand. Municipalities across the Hill Country are searching for new water sources to meet demand.

San Antonio Water System (SAWS) enjoys a well-earned position of national leadership as a progressive water utility due to its commitment to conservation and innovative sourcing. Despite dramatic population growth in their service area, SAWS has maintained level overall usage rates by instituting world-class conservation measures.

The San Antonio City Council has signed a $3.4 billion deal to initiate the delivery of almost 16.3 billion gallons of water per year from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in Burleson County to San Antonio. The Vista Ridge project will span six counties and will be constructed by a Spanish infrastructure company.

The University of Texas at San Antonio and the Hill Country Alliance have gathered a highly qualified group of water planners and scientists with experience in both urban and rural settings.

For seven years, the Texas Water Symposium series has brought together policymakers, scientists, water resource experts, landowners, and regional leaders to explore the challenges and complexities of managing water in Texas. The sessions are free and open to the public, and are recorded and aired on Texas Public Radio one week following the live event. The Symposium is a partnership project of University of Texas at San Antonio, Schreiner University, Texas Tech University, Texas Public Radio, and the Hill Country Alliance.

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Learn more about the Texas Water Symposium.

Listen to past shows online.

The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country.

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