SAN ANTONIO – Officials with San Antonio Water System celebrated the kickoff of drilling at a new water source on Tuesday morning.
Elected officials, including Mayor Julian Castro, met at a new desalination well in South Bexar County, near the Wilson County line, to announce the project.
"Our water needs are only getting higher and this is more water that's available to us. Every community in the country needs to be concerned (about) adding to their water portfolio ... particularly those of us in Texas who have been through this big drought," said Castro
The new drilling project taps the Wilcox Aquifer, 1,500 feet below the surface and below the Carrizo Aquifer.
The reason it hasn't been tapped before is because the water is brackish and too salty to drink.
"We do have to pump it from here to a treatment plant, run it through the treatment plant and then pump it to San Antonio," said Chuck Ahrens, SAWS vice president of Water Resources and Conservation.
The water from the Wilcox Aquifer -- unlike the Edwards Aquifer -- is not subject to water restrictions and is a plentiful water source.
Eventually, 13 wells will pump water to the yet-to-be-built treatment facility.
However, it's a costly process.
SAWS officials say they don't have solid numbers but estimated it will cost more than $100 million.
"It's worth it because we have security in our water supply. It provides for continued economic growth in San Antonio. It's drought-proof water," said Ahrens.
"If we want to ensure our water future, that we have enough water, it is going to take these kind of investments that do cost money," said Castro.
The first phase of the project goes online in 2016 and will provide about 10 million gallons of water a day to SAWS customers. Phase 2, projected to come online in 2021, will add another 10 million gallons. The third and final phase will provide an additional 5 million gallons per day.