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The San Antonio Water System is considering an 8% increase in water rates this year plus a series of additional rate increases through 2029.
Last month, SAWS officials said a rate increase could be as high as 32% over the course of the next five years. The proposed increase this year would take the average SAWS bill from $60 to $65. By the time the entire 32% is included, the average bill would be $80.
SAWS representatives told the San Antonio City Council on Wednesday the rate increases were necessary due to the costs to operate the system and a series of other factors like upgrading two 60-year-old wastewater treatment facilities and fixing aging sewer infrastructure.
There are also mandates from the Texas Legislature to add emergency backup generators to pump stations.
“The current rates and charges are not sufficient to meet the identified revenue requirements of either the water or wastewater system, while also maintaining the fiscal health of each system,” said SAWS CFO Doug Evanson.
A study commissioned by SAWS showed an overall 30% increase in rates over the next five years was needed to address these issues.
“These are not final rate recommendations, just a summary of the rate study findings,” he told the council.
Over the last decade, SAWS has seen the addition of new customers reach up to a 3% increase each year. The system currently maintains 584,000 customer connections in and around Bexar County.
Addressing water loss is another goal for SAWS. The utility counted 2,500 water main breaks in 2024 with an estimate that 1,700 of those breaks came from the same 10% of pipes in the system.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said that the city utilities, have a responsibility to meet current and future demand.
“We also recognize, unfortunately, the economic environment where we will see, for example, the implementation of the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP,” she said. “So we are cognizant of any rate increase, either by this utility or by CPS that would impact the most vulnerable.”
Many council members, while understanding of the utility’s needs, wanted the messaging to be clear to residents.
“We all know what it costs to maintain our homes, and we maintain, and then we plan for the future, right? Every one of us does this in some capacity, so making sure that residents really understand what this is for and the intentions, I think are, are key,” said District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez.
The process for the rate increase requires a vote of the SAWS trustees on March 3 and then a vote by the full city council on April 2.
