Created in 2024, the program seeks to reduce water loss and improve the water system’s efficiency. Using this program, SAWS will build a comprehensive approach to addressing water loss challenges.
According to SAWS' website, non-revenue water is water that is never delivered or billed to a customer and can be caused by main breaks, inaccurate meters and leaking infrastructure.
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Presented by Andrea Beymer, chief operating officer of SAWS, the discussion centered around reducing water loss from current levels, key strategies, and improving infrastructure and reliability.
Beymer said reduction strategies include adding production well meters, with a goal of 106 new flow meters by the end of 2026; implementing ConnectH20 program and replacing 605,000 mechanical meters with electronic meters and allocating $500 million over five years for water main replacement. Additionally, SAWS intends to increase its leak detection staff from six to 16.
Beymer also noted that SAWS will utilize artificial intelligence for failure prediction models, which will help identify vulnerable water mains.
“We're going to lean into resource modeling technology and AI to identify and address hidden leaks or leaks that don't surface within our distribution system," Beymer said.
“We have more miles of water main than Los Angeles,” Beymer said. “More miles of water main than Houston, making us the biggest in the country."
SAWS system complexity:
- Covers 934 square miles
- 7,900 miles of water mains
- 13 water supplies from seven different sources
- 1,500 feet elevation range
- 59 different pressure zones
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said that moving forward San Antonio City Council will have recurring meetings on municipal utilities. SAWS will also introduce a leakage management model and pilot hidden leak identification technology.
