Opponents argued the plant posed a pollution risk to nearby waterways and the aquifer.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio City Council voted Thursday to halt the proposed Guajolote Ranch subdivision near Scenic Loop and Babcock Road, siding with opponents who warned the development could threaten a major regional water source.
Critics of the project said the subdivision could have discharged more than 1 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into Helotes Creek, potentially impacting the Edwards Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to an estimated 2.5 million people.
The proposed development would have spanned more than 1,100 acres and included about 3,000 homes, along with an on-site wastewater treatment plant. Opponents argued the plant posed a pollution risk to nearby waterways and the aquifer.
“We’re thrilled with the decision of San Antonio’s City Council,” said Emory Bluhm, president of the Scenic Loop Helotes Creek Alliance. “We’re really excited about how much time City Council and the city manager put into understanding the issue well enough to make an informed decision.”
Bluhm said developer Lennar Homes plans to install and sell a wastewater treatment plant that would discharge treated effluent into Helotes Creek.
“They’ll be dumping a million gallons a day into the Helotes Creek, which goes straight into the aquifer,” Bluhm said. “Essentially, they are dumping their treated wastewater into our drinking water supply.”
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted Lennar Homes a wastewater permit following a hearing in October. Bluhm said opponents challenged the permit in court and have since filed an appeal.
Supporters of the project argued it would help address the region’s growing housing needs, while critics warned it would increase pollution and strain natural resources.
Thursday’s City Council vote centered on whether to create a new municipal utility district, which would have allowed the developer to partner with its own utility providers to operate the wastewater system. Council members voted unanimously to deny the request.
“Now that the MUD was rejected by City Council, Lennar has to go through a four month utilities negotiation with SAWS before going to TCEQ,” Bluhm said. “Our hope is that SAWS retracts their offer of water service and forces Lennar to drill wells into the same groundwater source they are dumping their treated sewage into. Explain that to new home buyers.”
Despite the vote, Bluhm said the developer is still moving forward with aspects of the project, and legal challenges remain ongoing.