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  • For hundreds of years, San Antonio relied solely on the Edwards Aquifer for its water supply.  In recent decades, San Antonio Water System (SAWS), has diversified the city’s water portfolio by completing 14 water projects from 8 different sources.
  • Three of these projects are at the H2Oaks Center, located on more than 6,000 acres in south Bexar county.  They include Aquifer Storage and Recovery, production from the Carrizo Aquifer, and desalination of brackish water from the Lower Wilcox Aquifer.
  • The ASR component is used to store Edwards Aquifer in times of excess for delivery back to the community during dry times.  More than 200,000 acre-feet of water can be stored in the Carrizo sands at this location.
  • ASR is also a cornerstone of a Habitat Conservation Plan to protect endangered species of the Edwards Aquifer.  Some of the water in storage is stored on behalf of the region, enabling additional deferment of pumping from the Edwards Aquifer during critical times for the species.
  • Another project at H2Oaks involves production and treatment of water from the Carrizo Aquifer.  About 9,900 acre-feet per year can be produced and treated to match the chemistry of Edwards Aquifer water.
  • In 2017 SAWS completed Phase I of a desalination facility at H2Oaks that treats slightly brackish groundwater from the Lower Wilcox Aquifer.  The current capacity is 11,200 acre-feet per year, or about 10 million gallons per day (mgd), and the facility is designed to accommodate two additional future phases to increase production to 30 mgd.
  • The H2Oaks Center also serves as a hub for water education and community engagement in continuing to build a culture of water stewardship in San Antonio.
  • Have a question?  Contact Heather Ginsburg, Education Programs Coordinator, at heather.ginsburg@saws.org or 210.233.2906.