City Celebrates 20 Years of Lady Eco Keeping the River Walk Clean

Published on June 24, 2026

City Celebrates 20 Years of Lady Eco Keeping the River Walk Clean

SAN ANTONIO (June 24, 2026) — The City of San Antonio is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Lady Eco, the City’s custom‑built ecology sweeper barge that plays a vital role in keeping the iconic San Antonio River Walk clean.

Funded by the late Mayor Lila Cockrell and the San Antonio Parks Foundation, Lady Eco was first put into operation in 2006 as an environmentally friendly solution for maintaining the 3.2‑mile downtown River Walk loop. Since then, the vessel has removed more than 4.3 million pounds of debris from the river, helping preserve it as a thriving urban ecosystem visited by millions of people each year.

Lady Eco Facts

• Custom-designed specifically for the River Walk’s narrow, winding channels
• Powered by compressed natural gas and compressed air for clean operations that do not risk contaminating the river
• Features a 35‑foot wingspan with 12 mesh nets that allow River Operations staff to collect debris efficiently
• Dual pneumatic arms, each with six nets sweeping one foot down and 35 feet across
• Removes approximately 115 tons of floating debris each year
• More than 4.3 million pounds of debris removed since 2006

For 20 years, Lady Eco has completed daily cleaning passes along the river, collecting litter, natural debris, and other floating materials, especially after heavy rain when storm debris tends to accumulate. Working alongside the City’s River Operations team, Lady Eco remains essential to ensuring the River Walk stays beautiful, well‑maintained, and welcoming to residents and visitors.