Saying it's wasting millions, SAWS tries to kill Medina Lake deal - San Antonio Express-News

Saying it's wasting millions, SAWS tries to kill Medina Lake deal

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1of4A virtually-dry Diversion Lake, just down stream from Medina Lake on the Medina River is seen Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Both lakes are managed by the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties WCID #1. The San Antonio Water System filed a lawsuit Friday to get out of a 40-year agreement with the BMA requiring SAWS to pay millions of dollars every year for water from Medina Lake, which the utility says it can't use and doesn't need.William Luther/StaffShow MoreShow Less2of4A nearly dry Diversion Lake, just down stream from Medina Lake on the Medina River is seen Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Both lakes are managed by the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties WCID #1. The San Antonio Water System filed a lawsuit Friday to get out of a 40-year agreement with the BMA requiring SAWS to pay millions of dollars every year for water from Medina Lake, which the utility says it can't use and doesn't need.William Luther/StaffShow MoreShow Less3of4A virtually-dry Diversion Lake, just down stream from Medina Lake on the Medina River is seen Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Both lakes are managed by the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties WCID #1. The San Antonio Water System filed a lawsuit Friday to get out of a 40-year agreement with the BMA requiring SAWS to pay millions of dollars every year for water from Medina Lake, which the utility says it can't use and doesn't need.William Luther/StaffShow MoreShow Less4of4A virtually-dry Diversion Lake, just down stream from Medina Lake on the Medina River is seen Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Both lakes are managed by the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties WCID #1. The San Antonio Water System filed a lawsuit Friday to get out of a 40-year agreement with the BMA requiring SAWS to pay millions of dollars every year for water from Medina Lake, which the utility says it can't use and doesn't need.William Luther/StaffShow MoreShow Less

The San Antonio Water System is trying to get out of a contract that it says is forcing it to pay millions to a Hill Country water district, without getting anything in return.

The city-owned water utility has paid the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 more than $28 million over the past decade for water from Medina Lake, but hasn't taken any of that water since 2015. In a petition filed in state district court, SAWS attributed that to poor water quality that is due in part to low lake levels.