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Advisory of New Water Service, Water Supply, and Wastewater Rates

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Proposed Rates Would Deliver New Water
Supplies, Improve Infrastructure

Working together for San Antonio

Providing sustainable, affordable water services is San Antonio Water System's mission. As a ratepayer, you have invested in sound water management, making San Antonio water's most resourceful city.

New water resources in action

In this year's drought, we have shifted pumping away from the Edwards and are retrieving 40 million gallons per day from our underground water storage facility, the third-largest in the country. Your compliance with water restrictions has also reduced pumping from the Edwards by 30 to 50 million gallons per day.

Just key in a few numbers to get a good idea of how your bill will change next year by approved 2012 rates. Click here to access the rate calculator.

Along with the nation's largest direct recycled water system, you have supported water conservation programs that are recognized as the best in the nation.

Over the past three years, you have invested more than $225 million of capital in water resources and projects to help reduce our reliance on the Edwards Aquifer. So as the drought and water restrictions continue to grip our community, San Antonio must stay the course.

Wells for the city's desalination plant are already being drilled in southern Bexar County, and water from the Carrizo Aquifer in Gonzales County will be piped to San Antonio beginning next year.

Your continued investment will help provide the water resource solutions outlined in the city's Water Management Plan. Capital spending of $250 million over the next three years will be required to bring additional water from the Carrizo Aquifer and to desalinate salty water from the Wilcox Aquifer

Well fields, pumps, and pipelines will deliver the supplies needed in San Antonio over the next 50 years, sustaining us even through a repeat of the drought of record.

Even with this proposed rate increase, SAWS would still have one of the lowest bills of all major Texas cities. Assumes monthly usage of 7,788 gallons per month water and 6,178 gallons per month of wastewater.

Challenges still lie ahead

San Antonio faces additional challenges. Extensive work is being performed to clean sewer mains and reduce the buildup of grease that can cause sewer overflows. Older infrastructure is being examined, maintained, and replaced when needed.

These efforts are already making a difference. From the peak of sewer overflows in our community in February 2010, these incidents have been reduced by 85 percent in July 2011.

Continued investment in San Antonio's sewer system is needed to ensure environmental protection and sustainability. An average of $150 million annually over the next three years will be invested to ensure the city’s sewer system is maintained to serve smart growth in the community.

San Antonio needs to stay the course

A proposed 7.9 percent average rate increase will help pay for continued efforts of developing new water projects, and for water and sewer infrastructure repairs and improvements.

This would mean that the average monthly residential bill would go up by $3.41. Despite this increase, San Antonians continue to receive sustainable water services for some of the most affordable rates in the state.