Gonzales County Groundwater District Grants SAWS Permit Requetsts

GONZALES — The San Antonio Water System can pump more than 11,000 acre-feet of water from the Carrizo Aquifer in Gonzales County after being granted a permit by the underground water conservation water district Tuesday night.
The 3-2 vote was an important victory for SAWS in its quest to get more water and diversify from the Edwards Aquifer, which is the source of more than 56 percent of SAWS' total supply.

Unless the permit is challenged, SAWS expects water from the Carrizo will be available in 2013. The water will be transported via an existing pipeline now used by Sequin and Schertz. SAWS would add pipeline in Bexar County and a booster station.

SAWS said it hopes to secure the rights for an additional 5,550 acre-feet of water from the Carrizo. If so, the total of 17,200 acre-feet would make up about 10 percent of San Antonio's annual potable demand.

The total cost of the water and infrastructure is estimated at $131 million.