In The Loop: May 2022
By Ron Aaron Eisenberg
Hands Off Those Outdoor Hose Bibbs
All area municipalities – Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, and Terrell Hills – recently ordered water restrictions after San Antonio entered Stage 2 watering rules. The decision comes in the wake of La Niña, which has delivered hot, dry conditions to Texas.
The three communities follow San Antonio’s decisions on outdoor watering.
State 2 water rules are triggered when the 10-day average at the Edwards Aquifer J-17 monitoring well drops below 650 feet. As a reminder, the watering restrictions include:
- Landscape watering with an irrigation system, sprinkler, or soaker hose is permitted only on your designated day, once a week, from 7–11 a.m. and 7–11 p.m.
- The last digit of your address determines your watering day. Addresses ending in 0 or 1 are Monday, 2 or 3 are Tuesday, 4 or 5 are Wednesday, 6 or 7 are Thursday, and 8 or 9 are Friday. Areas without a street address, such as medians and neighborhood entryways, water on Wednesday.
- Hand watering with a hand-held hose is allowed any day, any time.
- Watering with drip irrigation or a 5-gallon bucket is permitted any day, but only between 7–11 a.m. and 7–11 p.m.
- Washing impervious cover (i.e., parking lots, driveways, streets, etc.) is prohibited.
- Water waste is prohibited at all times. Allowing water to run off into a gutter, ditch, drain, or failing to repair a controllable leak is considered water waste.
- Residential car washing is allowed on Saturday or Sunday as long as there is no water waste.
- Variances will be needed for new landscape installations, water fountains, athletic fields, large properties, and power washing.
Residents who observe watering violations can report them at www.saws.org/conservation/water-waste/report-water-waste-form/ or by calling the SAWS water saver number (210) 704-7283 (SAVE).
Each jurisdiction favors education over fining water abusers, but fines can approach $500-$2,000 per day for repeat offenders.
Pet Spa Opens on Broadway in ’09
When Marc and Debra Hildebrand’s dog groomer moved to New Braunfels, they faced finding a new groomer for Bowie, their Maltipoo.
After failing to locate a one they liked, the two decided to open their own doggie spa as franchisees for PetBar. The new spa is located at 5231 Broadway, 78209, and offers services for dogs and cats.
Hildebrand told 78209 Magazine, “We offer self-service washing, providing everything you’d need to wash your fur baby. We also have a full-service option and do ear cleaning and nail trimming.”
He added, “We have membership plans for a monthly fee that entitles members to up to four washes a month or unlimited self-service bathing. Our shop is completely open – customers can see the entire facility. Each groomer has their own room, so we keep the pets separate from one another. We can also put dogs together who get along to play in our ‘Party Rooms.’”
Prices for grooming and washing vary by the size of the dog. The spa is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. -6 p.m. They are closed on Sundays.
CPS To Trim Trees in Alamo Heights, Already Pruning Trees In Olmos Park
Alamo Heights Assistant City Manager Phil Laney told 78209 Magazine, “The CPS Energy vegetation management program is underway in Alamo Heights. The operation is designed to identify trees that are too close to CPS infrastructure, namely power lines, followed by trimming of those trees.”
Laney wanted to assure homeowners that tree trimmers would paint all “cuts” to reduce the risk of spreading oak wilt. The contractors are specially certified to work near electrical lines. CPS has four contracting firms area-wide that perform this service.
Residents will be notified of the scheduled work via door hangers, email blasts, and posts on the City’s website and social media.
CPS tree trimming has been underway in Olmos Park for several months.
Zoo Welcomes a Feline Friend
The San Antonio Zoo recently welcomed a two-year-old female jaguar named Frida. The new female cat will provide zoo guests with another opportunity to appreciate a near-threatened species.
She was transferred from Memphis Zoo to San Antonio Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) in hopes she will eventually breed with the zoo’s male jaguar, B’alam.
Memphis Zoos Animal Care staff say Frida has a sweet demeanor and loves enrichment, especially if it involves water or scents like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo, is quoted in the zoo’s news release, “We are thrilled about Frida’s arrival. We hope she loves her new home. We encourage the community to visit and give her a personal welcome to San Antonio and the zoo. Fingers crossed that we have little jaguar cubs in our future.”
The zoo notes that Jaguars are native to the tropical forests of Mexico, Central, and South America. They are considered near threatened due to habitat loss. There are currently more than 100 jaguars in North American-accredited AZA zoos, while it is estimated that 10,000 jaguars currently reside in the wild. The historical range of jaguars used to be much broader and included the Southwestern United States, including Texas and even the San Antonio area.
