The Lower Colorado River Authority’s Board voted unanimously today to pay the San Antonio Water System $30 million dollars to settle a $1.2 billion lawsuit SAWS had filed for breach of contract. SAWS sued the LCRA in 2009 over the agency's decision to rescind an agreement to pipe water from the Colorado River to San Antonio. The LCRA said the project wasn't feasible and that there wouldn’t be enough water due to drought and population growth in Central Texas. Under the settlement, the LCRA would reimburse the San Antonio Water System over the course of 8 years.
“Texas is being savaged by a terrible drought,” LCRA General Manager Becky Motal said in a press release. “These historically hot temperatures and low inflows into our lakes provide a clear indication of where our priorities should be placed – working with entities like SAWS to find water to help us through dry times like these. Continuing this protracted legal battle between LCRA and SAWS would not produce a single drop of water for the people of Texas.”
The SAWS Board still needs to vote on whether to accept the settlement offer. That vote is scheduled for November 1st.