San Antonio Water System

The Nation’s Largest Direct Recycled Water System

In 1999, SAWS began delivering highly treated recycled water to its commercial customers through its purple pipe system. Today, it is one of the largest direct recycled water systems in the nation, spanning over 130 miles. With 25 years of operations, the recycled water produced from the SAWS Water Recycling Centers have proven important to SAWS’ diversification and conservation efforts.

SAWS delivers to over 80 recycled water customers. This includes: industrial and commercial users, golf courses, municipal parks, universities, military, healthcare etc. The recycled water system can provide up to 25,000 acre-feet per year, thereby conserving large amounts of potable water. Almost 19,000 acre-feet of recycled water was delivered to customers in 2025, and every year there are more customers pending connection to the system to take advantage of the recycled water benefits:

• Cost effective for customers – lower cost alternative
• Environmentally responsible – using recycled water reduces demand on our potable water supply

The system was also designed to supplement base flows in the San Antonio River and Salado Creek. Annually, approximately 5,800 AFY is used to ensure flow during low flow periods or in the event of a drought.  The result has been significant and lasting environmental improvements for the aquatic ecosystems in these streams.

In addition to supplying base flow to the San Antonio River and serving our recycled water customers, SAWS also supplied CPS Energy about 41,600 AF of recycled water for use in their electrical generation through a bed and banks permit in 2025. Combined, this accounted for about 60,500 AF of recycled water distributed, about 18.3% of SAWS’ total water demand (potable and non-potable) in 2025.

Terms

AFY – 1 acre foot per year  = 325,851 gallons per year