San Antonio Water System

From its inception in 1992, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has always provided a youth education program for students in grades K-12 as part of its community mission.

In 2002, the program was expanded and rebranded into SAWS H₂O University with the goal of providing learning opportunities for K-12 grade through classroom curriculum and events across the city. The theme of H₂O University, “From Science to Citizenship”, allowed younger students to focus on science issues like the water cycle and local aquifer geology, while the higher grades concentrated on more community issues such as water conservation and pollution prevention. The University’s goal was to unify the water system’s youth education programming, distilling them into one focused initiative to develop water-literate citizens.

In 2010, SAWS H₂O University once again pivoted in programming to now become known simply as SAWS Education. The program’s continued mission, to develop a water literate citizenry who would become aware and concerned about the environment and sustainability of community water resources, was accomplished through new classroom presentations, elementary and middle school aged curriculum, facility tours and an award winning high school service-learning program. Over the next decade, students increased their awareness, knowledge, skills and stewardship of water resource issues facing the community allowing San Antonio to become known one of the most water conservative cities in the nation.

Today, the SAWS Education Program continues to builds on this almost 30-year tradition with the help of three full-educators and an Education Manager who develop and facilitate elementary aged presentations, in-person and virtual tour experiences, an educator leadership program and a high school water academy for 16 public school districts as well as thousands of home-school and private school students and educators within the SAWS service area.

Our goal is to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM), water education and civic responsibility through service-based learning. The Program provides meaningful community service combined with academic study and encourages students of all ages to develop their own water ethic while empowering them to positively influence our environment, society and economy.