OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City of San Antonio B Session: SAWS Briefing and Riverwalk Strategic Plan Update - October 1, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, October 1, 2025
BodySan Antonio, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, October 1, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:35:24

Transcript — Verbatim
0:29

Justin Moon Lassy Sarknoon.

0:48

The time is now 2 02 p.m.

0:50

on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, and the City of San Antonio session is uh B session is called to order.

0:56

Um, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

0:59

Councilmember Corps.

1:00

Councilmember McKee Rodriguez.

1:02

Present.

1:03

Councilmember Igran.

1:05

Here.

1:05

Councilmember Mungia.

1:07

Present.

1:07

Councilmember Castillo.

1:09

Here.

1:09

Councilmember Galvan.

1:10

Here.

1:11

Councilmember Alerete Gavito.

1:13

Here.

1:14

Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez.

1:15

Here.

1:16

Present.

1:16

Councilmember Spears.

1:18

Councilmember White.

1:20

Mayor Jones.

1:21

Mayor, we have quorum.

1:22

Great.

1:23

Thanks, Madam Clerk.

1:25

As uh as we shared, the um we are now going to have um uh recurring meetings for the entire body on our municipalities, uh municipal utilities rather.

1:36

Um, this is something that each of you um one have expressed to me your desire to understand more about, but it's also something that you all have identified as something that you are continually having to answer questions for, right?

1:46

And so as we think about the strategic advantage that these municipalities are, we should also be thinking uh collectively about how we can strengthen that in light of some very significant um changes at both of them, both the you know how we accomplish the power generation plan at at CPS, um, but also how we in fact are going to um finance some significant uh delayed capital projects at SAWS.

2:11

So I appreciate the um the SAS leadership team here to include uh chair of the board being here as well.

2:17

Um we will also hear about the Riverwalk strategic plan, um, which I understand we have have not heard yet at this council, so it'll be good to get fresh feedback with fresh eyes on that.

2:28

Um, Eric, over to you.

2:31

Opening mayor.

2:32

So I was just gonna add uh that um we we will have these utility briefings at the beginning of every month.

2:40

Um, and uh and Mr.

2:42

Puente was good enough to volunteer for the first one.

2:44

So I'll I'll turn it over to him.

2:49

Thank you, City Council.

2:51

Welcome back, uh Councilman.

2:53

Um it's a pleasure to be here in front of you.

2:56

Uh it is our opportunity to tell you and your constituents what goes on at SAWs.

3:01

That's obviously uh a very important function that we have.

3:05

Uh your uh their utility, your utility, as the mayor said, a lot of questions are asked about what we're doing, how we're doing it, and so this is a hopefully other every other month opportunity to uh explain that to this council, and then therefore uh that information filters down to your constituents.

3:22

Uh presenting today will be uh Doug Evanson, our CFO.

3:26

Uh he's been at SAWS 20 years.

3:28

As a matter of fact, he just got back from New York on a uh a bond issuance trip where uh we refinance some bonds, uh sold some bonds, and so that is a continuation of what we're trying to do as far as how we spend our capital dollars and how we fund our infrastructure.

3:44

Uh behind me is Andrea Beamer, she's our chief operating officer.

3:48

She is the first Hispanic woman to serve as COO of a utility as large as ours, and she's homegrown because she's from here from San Antonio, and the three of us are standing ready to answer any questions that you may have.

4:01

Uh, thank you, Mayor.

4:07

Thank you.

4:08

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.

4:11

Richard Donot could not be here, so that is why I'm here pitch hitting for him.

4:16

As Mr.

4:17

Quintus said, my name's Andrea Beamer.

4:20

I'm the chief operating officer.

4:22

So I'm gonna dive right in.

4:24

SAUS is committed to securing, protecting, and managing our most precious resource in a responsible, proactive manner.

4:32

Over the last 25 years, SAS has successfully secured new supplies for our growing city from seven different sources.

4:41

Oh, thank you.

4:43

To effectively manage this diverse water portfolio, SAS has also pioneered best in class water conservation programs and practices to help homes and businesses make every drop count.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Parks and Recreation█████████████15%
Public Engagement████████9%
Budget███4%
Fiscal Sustainability███4%
Technology and Innovation███3%
Infrastructure███3%
Public Safety██2%
Procedural█1%
Summary of Proceedings

City of San Antonio B Session: SAWS Briefing and Riverwalk Strategic Plan Update - October 1, 2025

The City of San Antonio held a B session on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 2:02 p.m. The meeting focused on two major agenda items: a comprehensive briefing from the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) on water loss, infrastructure needs, and budget planning; and an update on the Riverwalk Capital Improvements Strategic Plan. Council members engaged in extensive discussion on both topics, emphasizing equity, affordability, conservation, and coordination.

Consent Calendar

No consent calendar items were presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public testimony was heard during this session. The meeting was dedicated to briefings and council discussion.

Discussion Items

SAWS Briefing: Water Loss, Infrastructure, and Budget

Robert Puente (SAWS President/CEO), Doug Evanson (CFO), and Andrea Beamer (COO) presented a detailed overview of SAWS operations. Key points included:

  • Non-Revenue Water (Water Loss): In 2023, water loss peaked due to drought and staffing challenges. SAWS established the Office of Non-Revenue Water and has increased leak detection staffing from 6 to 16. Response time for non-emergency repairs dropped from 14 days (2022-2023) to 2 days (2025). Goals: reduce water loss to 61 gallons per connection per day by 2028, and an aspirational target of 43 gallons by 2035 (50% reduction from 2023 peak).
  • Infrastructure Age: 23% of water mains are 50+ years old; 62% are 10-50 years old. SAWS plans to spend over $500 million on water main replacement over the next five years. An AI failure prediction model is used to prioritize replacements.
  • AMI Meters: 91% of customer meters have been replaced with electronic smart meters (AMI), improving leak detection and billing accuracy. Full installation expected by end of 2025.
  • Capital Needs: SAWS projects $3.2 billion in capital improvements for 2026-2030, primarily for wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation ($1.7 billion) and water delivery ($1.2 billion). Two largest water recycling centers (Stephen M. Claus and Leon Creek) require over $340 million in upgrades.
  • Rate Adjustment: No rate increase has been implemented since 2020. Due to inflation, deferred capital projects, and declining credit metrics, SAWS is planning to request a rate adjustment in early 2026. For 2026, an interim budget without a rate increase is proposed, deferring $350 million in CIP to maintain credit ratings.
  • Rate Comparisons: SAWS residential rates for 6,000 gallons of water and sewer are the lowest among the 10 largest Texas cities. Current combined bill is $63.27/month, down 9% from 2020. Other cities have increased by 26% on average.
  • Data Centers: SAWS has sufficient water supply for potential data centers, but these are not a primary economic development target due to high water and energy use. No specific capital planning for data center demand.

Council members raised concerns about equity, affordability, and the impact of rate increases on low-income families. Several asked for data on program usage and eligibility criteria for the Uplift assistance program (home value cap of $300,000). Others requested mapping of aging infrastructure and pressure zones. The mayor noted that a tabletop exercise on federal budget cuts could inform future decisions, including a potential increase in the city's utility contribution from 4% to 5%.

Riverwalk Capital Improvements Strategic Plan Update

Shannon Miller (Director of Office of Historic Preservation) presented the scope for a new Riverwalk strategic plan, the first since 2008. The Riverwalk Capital Improvements Advisory Board (composed of business owners, residents, and lessees) oversees a special fund derived from patio leases. The 2008 plan resulted in $18.7 million in improvements (six phases), including ADA ramps and elevators.

  • RFP Scope: The new strategic plan will take a holistic approach, covering capital improvements, business growth, traffic/circulation, public art, ecology, and code updates (e.g., signage, noise). Public input campaign is a major component.
  • Timeline: RFP closes October 9, 2025; selection by November; plan completion by end of fiscal year 2026.
  • Funding: Approximately $800,000/year from lease revenue funds the studies. Additional sources may include hotel tax.
  • Task Five (optional) — extending the plan to areas beyond the traditional horseshoe—will be made mandatory per mayor's request.
  • Council Input: Members emphasized the need for ADA accessibility, worker safety, shade/misters, improved wayfinding, sustainability, and balancing commercial interests with resident experience. Councilwoman McKee Rodriguez raised concerns about disproportionate downtown investment compared to other districts.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken during this briefing session.
  • Directives:
    • SAWS will provide additional data: water loss figures by district, aging infrastructure maps, and breakdown of affordability program usage.
    • SAWS will consider a third-party operational audit (requested by Councilman White).
    • The Riverwalk RFP will be adjusted: Task Five (extended area) will be mandatory; scope will include public input from employees, residents, and disability advocates; focus on safety, accessibility, sustainability, and emissions reduction.
    • City staff to provide a follow-up memo on the history of Riverwalk fund revenue and investments since 2008.
  • Next Steps:
    • SAWS interim budget will be presented to its board in November, with a rate adjustment request expected in early 2026.
    • Riverwalk plan consultant selection in November; comprehensive public input campaign to begin shortly after.
    • The meeting concluded at 5:37 p.m. with a note that the council would enter executive session to discuss litigation (TDS v. City) in which the city received a favorable jury verdict.

Meeting Transcript

Justin Moon Lassy Sarknoon. The time is now 2 02 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, and the City of San Antonio session is uh B session is called to order. Um, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Councilmember Corps. Councilmember McKee Rodriguez. Present. Councilmember Igran. Here. Councilmember Mungia. Present. Councilmember Castillo. Here. Councilmember Galvan. Here. Councilmember Alerete Gavito. Here. Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez. Here. Present. Councilmember Spears. Councilmember White. Mayor Jones. Mayor, we have quorum. Great. Thanks, Madam Clerk. As uh as we shared, the um we are now going to have um uh recurring meetings for the entire body on our municipalities, uh municipal utilities rather. Um, this is something that each of you um one have expressed to me your desire to understand more about, but it's also something that you all have identified as something that you are continually having to answer questions for, right? And so as we think about the strategic advantage that these municipalities are, we should also be thinking uh collectively about how we can strengthen that in light of some very significant um changes at both of them, both the you know how we accomplish the power generation plan at at CPS, um, but also how we in fact are going to um finance some significant uh delayed capital projects at SAWS. So I appreciate the um the SAS leadership team here to include uh chair of the board being here as well. Um we will also hear about the Riverwalk strategic plan, um, which I understand we have have not heard yet at this council, so it'll be good to get fresh feedback with fresh eyes on that. Um, Eric, over to you. Opening mayor. So I was just gonna add uh that um we we will have these utility briefings at the beginning of every month. Um, and uh and Mr. Puente was good enough to volunteer for the first one. So I'll I'll turn it over to him. Thank you, City Council. Welcome back, uh Councilman. Um it's a pleasure to be here in front of you. Uh it is our opportunity to tell you and your constituents what goes on at SAWs. That's obviously uh a very important function that we have. Uh your uh their utility, your utility, as the mayor said, a lot of questions are asked about what we're doing, how we're doing it, and so this is a hopefully other every other month opportunity to uh explain that to this council, and then therefore uh that information filters down to your constituents. Uh presenting today will be uh Doug Evanson, our CFO. Uh he's been at SAWS 20 years. As a matter of fact, he just got back from New York on a uh a bond issuance trip where uh we refinance some bonds, uh sold some bonds, and so that is a continuation of what we're trying to do as far as how we spend our capital dollars and how we fund our infrastructure. Uh behind me is Andrea Beamer, she's our chief operating officer. She is the first Hispanic woman to serve as COO of a utility as large as ours, and she's homegrown because she's from here from San Antonio, and the three of us are standing ready to answer any questions that you may have. Uh, thank you, Mayor. Thank you.

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