Major Projects
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We strive to be environmentally sensitive leaving our job sites — like this one near the ASR project — preserved in their natural splendor.
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Aquifer Storage and Recovery
For years, the Edwards Aquifer has been Bexar County’s sole source of water. Our water needs will increase significantly by 2050. Because of this, SAWS has been proactively developing other water strategies to meet those needs. The Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project (ASR), currently underway in South Bexar County, is clearly one of our most ambitious ventures.
ASR technology is a proven method of storing water in an existing aquifer. Our project, with the help of some of the world’s leading experts, is the second largest of its kind in the country. Upon completion, water will be pumped from the Edwards Aquifer during heavy rainfall periods and stored in the Carrizo Aquifer, in south Bexar County. Later, during the hot, dry summer months, we’ll pump this water back into the existing distribution system to help meet peak water demands.
By mid-2004, Phase One completion of the ASR project will allow us to store about 11,000 acre-feet. The operation includes 17 injection/withdrawal wells; a water treatment plant; an administration center; and a three million gallon storage tank. The 60-inch pipeline is 30 miles long and encompasses a 3,200-acre area.
Additionally, we’re working closely with landowners in Wilson, Atascosa and Bexar Counties, on a mitigation program to assist those residents who may be affected once the project is fully operational.
Phase Two of the ASR, to be completed in 2005, will essentially double the storage capacity to 22,500 acre-feet. The total cost of this project is estimated at $215 million.
Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project
Another important water resource development is the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project. The plan is to collect water from both the Guadalupe River and the Gulf Coast Aquifer System and deliver it to the Bexar County area, pending feasibility studies. This joint effort, between SAWS, San Antonio River Authority (SARA) and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), is slated for completion in by 2010 at a cost of roughly $687 million.
Currently, a Technical Committee and a Citizens Forum are examining several key issues related to this unique project:
- Wildlife impact, specifically the Whooping Crane (an endangered species).
- Ecological impact on the estuaries where fresh water merges with salt water.
- Groundwater availability from the Gulf Coast Aquifer.
Once completed, this project is expected to yield 94,000-acre feet of water annually.
Next: Conservation
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