DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Vista Ridge Water Supply Agreement with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS)
SUMMARY:
The City Council will be asked to consider the proposed Vista Ridge Water Supply Agreement that would annually provide up to 50,000 acre feet of non-Edwards Aquifer water to San Antonio likely beginning in 2020.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2011, SAWS issued a request for competitive sealed proposals (RFCSP) for non-Edwards Aquifer water in order to diversify its water supplies and to obtain water that the community will need to accommodate expected future increases in water demand. After the 2012 Water Management Plan update, SAWS issued an addendum to the RFCSP calling for 50,000 acre feet of water. After reviewing the nine proposals that it received, SAWS selected a proposal submitted by the Vista Ridge Consortium. The Vista Ridge Consortium is a partnership between Abengoa and BlueWater Systems, which has assembled approximately 3,400 leases for water rights with local landowners in Burleson and Milam Counties. Abengoa is a Spanish multi-national corporation which includes companies in the domains of energy, telecommunication, transportation, and the environment. Abengoa designs and constructs water infrastructure and facilities, including desalination and water treatment plants, and water distribution and transportation infrastructure. BlueWater is a Texas based entity that possesses groundwater rights and production and transport permits, and specializes in development and delivery of municipal water supplies in Central Texas.
On July 1, 2014, the SAWS Board of Trustees accepted the proposal from the Vista Ridge Consortium and began negotiations on a Water Transmission and Purchase Agreement (WTPA). In order to provide transparency to the process, SAWS held seven negotiation meetings that were publically posted and open to the public. O...
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