D10 Councilman Votes Against SAWS Rate Increase, Citing Affordability

Published on October 09, 2026

SAN ANTONIO (October 9, 2026) – Yesterday, San Antonio City Council approved a four-year rate plan for the San Antonio Water System (SAWS). District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte voted against the plan, as he did SAWS’ original proposal in June. The plan as presented by SAWS will increase water rates by at least 23.7% between 2027 and 2030, increasing the average residential water bill by at least $13.45 per month over the four-year period, with the potential increase reaching $16.93 by 2030.

“San Antonio families are already feeling the pressure of rising costs, and now they are being asked to pay more for another essential service,” said the District 10 Councilman. “I understand the need to invest in our water infrastructure, but cannot support continuing to put the burden on ratepayers without first making sure we are spending every dollar responsibly. We have to make affordability a priority and ask how we can do more with the resources we already have.”

The Councilman said, “The June decision to delay the original SAWS proposal gave the utility an opportunity to strengthen its capital plan and prioritize its most critical projects. Since then, SAWS has cut approximately $600 million from its original five-year capital plan, from $3.2 billion to $2.6 billion, while keeping its most urgent infrastructure projects on schedule. I appreciate Robert Puente and the SAWS team for listening to Council and making meaningful changes to the original proposal. The plan is better because we pushed for greater discipline and accountability before asking ratepayers to pay more. Nevertheless—I still do not believe we should be raising the rates on our citizens.”

The District 10 Councilman plans to continue working with SAWS to ensure funds are spent responsibly and finding ways to increase affordability for residents.