A Tour of the San Antonio Water System
By Anneke Paterson
![The lobby of San Antonio Water System headquarters in San Antonio, featuring an 11-foot model of a low-flow toilet.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/lyUExrx3w-Cw9pm_Ks8dDzp1uPg=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS002.jpg)
![A tour group samples treated wastewater at the Dos Rios Water Recycling Center, operated by the San Antonio Water System.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/grliplOSWSTBzfUyVWgogNpctK0=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS044.jpg)
![The recycled water outfall on the site of the Dos Rios Water Recycling Center outside of San Antonio.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/Fc9mfaLBvg5_oq0hsbpr85DXogg=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS038.jpg)
![Greg Eckhardt of the San Antonio Water System speaks to visitors during their tour of a SAWS facilities.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/pHDHksd679AmhnWzkBlauL1peig=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS055.jpg)
![San Antonio Water System President and CEO Robert Puente speaks at the SAWS headquarters in San Antonio.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/1R4dLUO8RIbvSgPfAIF3m5k2PzE=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS006.jpg)
![A cascade aerator on the site of the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/6GAYxlQRuaeFdjnjW-bkz9i0uvY=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS028.jpg)
![A cascade aerator is shown at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/xhvHEJhUfBhvftA8b5QicYt4yoY=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS022.jpg)
![A cascade aerator on the site of the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/gyFc6SLhIaQEAqUryFew8x1MN-k=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS025.jpg)
![A sludge thickener on the site of the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/KROW4qATDS3LCuCfaFZqMboaSK4=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS029.jpg)
![Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant manager Roberto Macias speaks to visitors during a tour of the San Antonio Water System facilities. Macias is head of SAWS' underground storage reservoir system.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/7McQ_vJ2Mc2Jx9OCDQuk9pT7J-8=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/03/28/GPerez_SAWS011.jpg)
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