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Edwards Aquifer

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Western Canyon

Recharge Iniatitive

Desalination

Regional Carrizo Project

LCRA-SAWS Water Project

ith a twist of the ceremonial spigot, SAWS' first-ever surface water project gushed to life in May 2006, delivering purified Canyon Lake water to customers in northwest San Antonio. The recently operational 2-million-gallon tank at the Winwood Tank Station is the first storage facility for SAWS Western Canyon water project.

Project Overview

In March 1998 SAWS approved a contract with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to buy surface water from their Canyon Lake water supply. Treated water will be delivered to participants in the project in portions of Comal, Kendall, and Bexar counties. SAWS has agreed to take additional amounts that other participants cannot take at any given time for the benefit of the project and to maintain a steady delivery rate.

SAWS will initially receive approximately 8,500 acre-feet* per year from the Canyon Reservoir. GBRA will design, collect required data, and construct the project to an agreed delivery point for each participant. SAWS’ initial point of delivery is the Winwood Water Tank, located at Interstate 10 and Fair Oaks Parkway. Water deliveries began in April 2006.

Project Partners: Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, SAWS, City of Boerne, City of Fair Oaks, City of Bulverde, Johnson Ranch, GBRA-Cordillera Ranch Inc., Tapatio Springs/Kendall County Utility Co., and the San Antonio River Authority.

Project Benefits

The Western Canyon Project was a successful alliance project between GBRA and water purveyors in Comal, Kendall and Bexar counties. This project is an additional step toward diversifying SAWS water supplies to meet future demand.

Project Highlights

• The Winwood storage tank project represents a capital investment of $3.8 million, funded by SAWS customers through the monthly water supply fee.
• The project adds another 2.4 billion gallons per year (7,600 acre-feet per year) to San Antonio's water supply.
• SAWS initial take will be 8,500 AF/yr. prior to the smaller purveyors taking their full contracted quantity.
• SAWS will always receive a minimum of 3,950 AF/yr during the term of the contract (40 years). Over the term of the contract, SAWS’ average take is approximately 6,000 AF/yr.

* An acre-foot of water is equivalent to 325,851 gallons