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2005 Water Resource Plan Update
Recommendations
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o identify future projects that could
furnish sufficient supplies to meet these demands, the Task Force
established several overarching criteria to weigh the merits of
each project. These criteria were: least cost, contribution to
diversification, technical feasibility, and risk.
 To
determine the least cost alternative, the Task Force calculated
the total incremental cost of each project (including operations,
maintenance, and capital costs), discounted by the SAWS weighted
average cost of debt. These total cost figures were then used
to assess the expected annual cost per acre-foot of yield for
each project.
Contribution to diversification was evaluated by analyzing the
incremental impact of each project on the percentage of non-Edwards
Aquifer supplies in 2050.
Technical feasibility was divided into two general areas: availability
of supply and constructability.
Finally, a risk matrix allowed for consideration of legislative
and regulatory risks, as well as other factors.
Based on the results of this in-depth analysis, the Task Force
recommends that the Board of Trustees authorize SAWS to undertake
the following actions to ensure that it can provide the additional
water supplies required under PS1 and accommodate the growth anticipated
under PS2, if the greater San Antonio community elects to have
SAWS serve as a regional wholesale water provider.
Edwards
Supply
The Task Force recommends that SAWS solidify and increase
its Edwards Aquifer supply. A portion of this strategy involves
converting existing leases (currently 25,000 acre-feet) to
permanent water purchases. An additional 35,000 acre-feet
of water rights will also be acquired to supplement shortterm
supply needs and facilitate better management of the Edwards
Aquifer.
Recharge Initiative
The Task Force recommends that SAWS continue to actively participate
in the Nueces River Basin Feasibility Study and Cibolo Creek
Watershed Feasibility Study. Both studies are on-going and
contain local and federal partners. In addition, a continued
effort will be made with the EAA to solidify the recharge
credit rules.
Brackish
Groundwater
The Task Force recommends that SAWS pursue a brackish groundwater
desalination project to assist in diversifying overall supplies.
This project could generate a moderately sized (up to 10,000 acre-feet)
water supply facility with the potential to offset summer “peaks”.
Innovative procurement methods, such as Design Build Operate (DBO)
and Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) should be explored, because
estimates of savings through this approach are likely to be 20-
30% of lifecycle costs.
Regional Carrizo
The Task Force recommends that SAWS hire an outside consultant
to conduct an independent and objective evaluation of the
management and phase options for this project. This evaluation
should result in a determination of the most effective approach
to the design and implementation of the Regional Carrizo project.
LCRA-SAWS
The Task Force recommends that this project continue to be explored
as an option for meeting long-term needs. However, renegotiation
of the existing contract within the project’s statutory constraints
is necessary to more competitively address cost, control, yield,
and the timing of the water delivery.
Simsboro
The Task Force recommends termination of the existing contract
with Alcoa in accordance with its terms and use. With respect
to SAWS-owned water rights, SAWS should explore the possible
use or disposition of these rights, as opportunity allows.
Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project
The Task Force recommends that SAWS end its participation
in the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project due to the continued
uncertainty with the surface water and groundwater regulatory
environment of the project area.
Other
Potential Projects
The Task Force recommends that SAWS continue evaluations of other
potential water supply projects, including but not limited to:
Coastal Desalination, Recharge and Recirculation, Mesa Water Supply
Project, Trinity Aquifer, and Western Edwards Water projects.
Combined, these recommendations enable SAWS to provide affordable,
diversified, and sufficient water supplies to meet demand in both
PS1 and PS2. PS1, which is described fully in Section 5.2, is
based on 1984 planning year conditions. In the short-term, the
need for additional supplies are met by converting Edwards Aquifer
leases to permanent acquisitions and acquiring additional Edwards
Aquifer supplies through 2010.
By the end of 2006, SAWS will have outlined its plans for the
development of the Brackish Desalination project; this project
is expected to be brought on line by 2010. After 2010, another
non-Edwards Aquifer supply, the Regional Carrizo project is introduced.
In order to meet longterm needs, the Recharge Initiative project
is implemented. Under these planning assumptions, all of the projected
demands through the year 2050 are met.
To accommodate demand in PS2 (which similar to PS1 is based on
1984 planning year conditions and described in Section 5.2) the
Edwards Acquisition program is again accelerated to meet short-term
demands between 2006 and 2010. Due to increases in the short-term
shortfall, the Regional Carrizo project is brought on line in
2008, followed by Brackish Desalination in 2010. The Recharge
and LCRA-SAWS projects are available to meet long-term demands.
Using these planning assumptions, all of the projected demand
in PS2 is met through 2050.
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