From right, Joyce Yannuzzi, district director to State Sen. Donna Campbell; Misty Spears, then-director of constituent services for Bexar County Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody and current San Antonio city councilwoman; and Randy Neumann, chair of the steering committee of the Scenic Loop-Helotes Creek Alliance, are shown on a tour of the Guajolote Ranch area earlier this year. To Neumann’s right is State Rep. John Lujan.
Oct. 6, 2025 – Three state senators representing the bulk of San Antonio and Austin have joined the entire bipartisan Bexar County House delegation in urging rejection of a wastewater permit for the proposed Guajolote Ranch development in northwest Bexar County.
State Sens. Roland Gutierrez, Jose Menendez and Sarah Eckhardt signed a letter to the three commissioners of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, asking them to turn down the permit for Lennar Corp.’s controversial project that would release an average of 1 million gallons a day of treated sewage into the Helotes Creek watershed.
The commission is scheduled to meet and decide on the permit on Oct. 22, though additional actions could prolong a final decision. Decisions by Bexar County commissioners and the city of San Antonio also could scuttle the project.
Similar to the letter previously sent by all 10 Texas House members from Bexar County, led by State Rep. Mark Dorazio, R-San Antonio, the senators said “approval of this permit would pose a serious risk to the quality of our primary drinking water supply” as the Helotes Creek watershed directly replenishes the Trinity Aquifer and accounts for 15% of the total recharge of the Edwards Aquifer.
The letter notes that the Edwards is an essential water source for 1.7 million residents across 13 South and Central Texas counties. Florida-based Lennar plans to build 2,900 homes on about 1,160 acres west of Scenic Loop and Babcock roads.
View the letter here: https://www.scenicloop.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Senator-Letter-2025-09-26.pdf
Meanwhile, their constituents have sent more than 1,400 letters or emails to the commissioners also urging rejection of the permit, with messages on social media opposing the permit garnering more than 1 million views. Go here to see all the correspondence to TCEQ.
The senators’ effort is led by Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, whose district touches the city of Grey Forest – one of the parties granted standing by TCEQ to contest the permit application filed by Lennar contractor Municipal Operations LLC, along with the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and landowner Ann Toepperwein. Menendez’s district takes in most of San Antonio, and Eckhardt’s much of central Austin.
The letter was addressed to TCEQ Chairwoman Brooke Paup and commissioners Bobby Janecka and Catarina Gonzales.
“The region’s unique fragile karst geology – including faults, sinkholes and caves – allows for rapid surface-to-groundwater infiltration,” the letter says. “As a result, even highly treated wastewater poses a real threat to groundwater quality. Any deviation from optimal treatment could introduce pharmaceuticals, pathogens or other contaminants into the aquifer.”
The permit risks “irreversible harm,” the letter says, “and jeopardizes two of Texas’ most important and sensitive aquifers – the Trinity and Edwards.”
“Millions of residents depend on these aquifers for clean drinking water,” the letter notes. “As our population continues to grow, we must prioritize the protection of these irreplaceable natural resources.
“We want to be clear: We do not oppose growth or development. However, we strongly oppose this particular wastewater treatment proposal because of its location and the unacceptable risks it presents. Once contaminated, these water sources cannot be restored.
“We respectfully urge you to deny Permit #WQ0016171001,” the letter concludes. “The long-term risks to public health and environmental integrity far outweigh any short-term benefits of this development.”
Earlier in the letter, the senators note that the only in-depth study of the effects of discharging wastewater into this specific watershed was conducted by the Southwest Research Institute, funded by the city of San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan.
“The findings were clear: Releasing treated effluent from residential development into the Helotes Creek watershed would “significantly degrade the watershed and the quality of water recharging the Edwards Aquifer.”
Go here to view a point-by-point rebuttal to Lennar by the Scenic Loop-Helotes Creek Alliance: https://www.scenicloop.org/post/1702/response-of-the-scenic-loop-helotes-creek-alliance-to-lennar-corporations-statement-that-first-aired-on-ksat-tv-sept-23-2025/
And go here to view a backgrounder, “The Guajolote Ranch Issue Explained,”: https://www.scenicloop.org/post/1679/the-guajolote-ranch-issue-explained/
The Scenic Loop-Helotes Creek Alliance is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) group representing the largest neighborhood by square mile recognized by the San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services Department, a wide corridor along Scenic Loop Road from Bandera Road to north of Babcock Road.
Scenic Loop-Helotes Creek Alliance contacts:
Steve Lee, 210-415-2402, text; slee_78023@yahoo.com
Randy Neumann, SL-HCA steering committee chair, 210-867-2826, uhit@aol.com
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH DENYING THE PERMIT FOR THE GUAJOLOTE RANCH REQUESTED BY LENNAR!!! It is bad enough that LENNAR is cutting trees to build homes when we do not have enough water and clean air (trees) resources now they want to POLUTE the AQUIFERS!!!
GOD HELP US!
Not coming from any degree of wealth in my upbringing (Dad was a factory worker and Mom a nurse’s aid), I worked my way through college in the 60’s when that was still possible. With that in mind, I am not one to stand in the way of those who build a better life and a better home for their families….but not at any cost, or passing the cost on to others. In the case of this wastewater permit for Guajolote by Lennar, I stand firmly against any plan that does not protect our source of water from any and all Texas Aquifers. The current plan clearly poses a serious risk to the quality of our primary drinking water supply, as the Helotes Creek watershed directly replenishes the Trinity Aquifer and accounts for 15% of the total recharge of the Edwards Aquifer. A million gallons a day, regardless of standard sanitation treatment practices, is not making a positive contribution to the life or safety of anyone using water supplied by these two aquifers. Please deny the permit.