San Antonio River Authority

What San Antonio River Authority does

The San Antonio River Authority is a Texas state government authority established in 1937 (operating since the 1940s) to manage the 240-mile course of the San Antonio River and its watershed across Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties in South Texas. It is funded primarily by property taxes from the four-county service area and operates an integrated portfolio of flood control, water quality, wastewater, and environmental services. Its core product lines include flood risk management (40+ dams, the San Antonio River Flood Tunnel, and 200+ HALT flood sensors feeding the SARiverFlood.org real-time portal), wastewater treatment (Salitrillo WWTP serving ~33,000 people and Martinez facilities using biological treatment with UV disinfection), river health monitoring (Clean Rivers Program at 180+ sites across six watersheds, eDNA/qPCR testing, biological assessments), the NELAP-accredited SARA-REL Regional Environmental Laboratory, green infrastructure and Low Impact Development services (proprietary Water Quality Modeling Tools, LID Technical Design Manual), stream restoration (Natural Channel Design Protocol), parks and trails (Mission Reach, Escondido Creek Parkway), household hazardous waste collection, debris removal, and environmental incident reporting.

The agency's go-to-market is direct service delivery to constituents and government counterparties rather than commercial sales. It partners with the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TCEQ, and the National Recreation and Park Association to deliver major capital and regulatory programs. Pricing is effectively a tax-and-fee model: most resident-facing services are free (household hazardous waste events, debris removal, flood assessments, parks), while wastewater is delivered as a utility service. Revenue sources include property taxes (primary), wastewater utility fees, grant funding (federal, state, local), and modest event/park fees. The agency employs 251-500 staff across offices at 100 E. Guenther (HQ), 600 E. Euclid (Environmental Center and SARA-REL), and the under-construction Sheridan Administration Building. The technology base is environmental science, hydrology, molecular biology, and GIS — not software or AI — with proprietary standards (Water Quality Modeling Tools, LID Manual, NCD Protocol) functioning as the agency's de facto intellectual property.

Name

San Antonio River Authority

Legal name

San Antonio River Authority

Website

https://sariverauthority.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The San Antonio River Authority is a Texas state government authority managing the 240-mile San Antonio River watershed across Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties. Funded by property taxes, it delivers flood control, wastewater treatment, water quality monitoring, parks, and environmental laboratory services to residents, municipalities, and developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Management and Environmental Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Flood Control & Protection Infrastructure (Levees, Floodwalls, Gates, Pump Stations) (EUANAEAI), Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD), Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Watershed management services
• Flood control infrastructure
• Wastewater treatment operations
• Water quality monitoring
• Environmental laboratory services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: The River Authority is funded by property taxes from residents in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties. This is the primary funding source for operations and capital projects.
2. Wastewater Treatment Services: The River Authority operates as a full-service wastewater utility provider within its district, providing wastewater treatment services to communities.
3. Event and Park Services: Some park services and events generate revenue through reservations and programming, though many community events are free.
4. Grant Funding: Federal, state, and local grant funding supports various projects including flood control, environmental protection, and infrastructure improvements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The San Antonio River Authority is a regional government authority that manages the 240-mile San Antonio River watershed across Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties in Texas. It delivers flood risk management through 40+ dams, the San Antonio River Flood Tunnel, and 200+ HALT real-time monitoring sensors; operates wastewater treatment plants and a NELAP-accredited regional environmental laboratory; implements green infrastructure, low impact development, and stream restoration projects; manages parks and trails; and provides household hazardous waste collection, debris removal, and environmental education services.

Product overview

The San Antonio River Authority is a government agency (not a software product company) providing environmental management and public utility services across a four-county jurisdiction. Its offerings include flood risk management with over 200 HALT sensors and real-time monitoring dashboards, wastewater treatment plants (Salitrillo WWTP, Martinez facilities), river health monitoring with NELAP-accredited laboratory services, green infrastructure and low impact development programs with modeling tools, stream restoration using Natural Channel Design, interactive mapping and water quality dashboards, parks and trails management, household hazardous waste collection events, debris removal programs, and environmental incident reporting. The services operate as integrated environmental management functions rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flood Risk Management Services Comprehensive flood risk management program providing planning, protection, preparedness, and mitigation services across Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties, utilizing dams, tunnels, HALT sensors, and real-time monitoring systems for residents, businesses, and partner municipalities.
• Wastewater Treatment Plants Full-service wastewater utility operating treatment plants including the Salitrillo WWTP serving approximately 33,000 people in northeast and eastern Bexar County and Martinez facilities, using biological treatment processes and ultraviolet light disinfection.
• River Health Monitoring Water quality monitoring, biological assessments, and environmental investigations conducted by Water Quality Scientists, Aquatic Biologists, and Stormwater Scientists to assess river health and identify pollution sources across the four-county basin.
• Regional Environmental Laboratory (SARA-REL) NELAP-accredited laboratory providing analytical testing services for non-potable water, solid and chemical materials, and environmental water quality monitoring for municipalities, wastewater plants, environmental consultants, and industrial clients; includes eDNA capabilities for detecting human fecal indicator bacteria.
• Green Infrastructure Program Stormwater management program deploying bioretention systems, permeable pavement, bioswales, and cisterns to reduce runoff and improve water quality, with an interactive Green Infrastructure Dashboard tracking managed stormwater volumes and pollutant reductions.
• Low Impact Development (LID) Services Sustainable land planning and design approach managing stormwater on site, including technical design manual, training programs, and proprietary Water Quality Modeling Tools (Load Reduction Tool, Enhanced BMP Tool, Timeseries Utility) for BMP/LID prioritization.
• Stream Restoration Services Natural Channel Design (NCD) stream restoration services improving physical, chemical, and biological functions of stream systems using fluvial geomorphology principles, including the East Salitrillo Creek Pilot Project demonstrating stabilization, water quality treatment, and functional lift techniques.
• HALT (High Water Alert Lifesaving Technology) System Real-time flood monitoring system with over 200 HALT sensors installed at low water crossings across the four-county region, providing green/yellow/red status indicators and subscription-based text and email alerts for road conditions during flood events via SARiverFlood.org.
• Interactive Mapping and Dashboards Suite of interactive tools including Floodplain Viewer, Water Quality Viewer, Watershed Master Plan Viewer, Green Infrastructure Dashboard, and Bacteria Dashboard providing real-time and historical data visualization for watershed management.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events Six free semi-annual collection events per year in Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties accepting household hazardous waste, tires, paint, electronics, and pharmaceuticals to prevent environmental contamination of waterways.
• Regional Flood Debris Removal Program Debris cleanup program for residents along San Antonio River Basin waterways in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties, removing natural debris and man-made materials to improve floodwater conveyance and water quality.
• Parks and Trails Management Management of nature-based parks and trail systems including Mission Reach, Escondido Creek Parkway, and various recreational facilities offering hiking, biking, paddling, fishing tournaments, and nature education programs.
• Environmental Incident Reporting Reporting system for illicit discharges, illegal dumping, fish kills, water quality concerns, and emergency spills, managed in collaboration with the South-Central Texas Environmental Task Force (SCT-ETF).
• Clean Rivers Program TCEQ-funded water quality monitoring and assessment program coordinated with Bandera County River Authority and Texas Stream Team, conducting monitoring at over 180 sites across six watersheds and producing biennial Basin Summary Reports and annual Basin Highlight Reports.
• Developer and Land Use Services Services for developers including land use guidance, stormwater management requirements, and coordination for projects within the San Antonio River watershed covering Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• The San Antonio River Tunnel prevented devastating downtown flooding during the October 1998 record rainfall event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2023Partnership for community park development. The NRPA collaborated with Bobcat Company on grants to parks for restoration, sustainability, and beautification projects.
• South-Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (SCTRCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCTRCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation representing multiple public entities in South Texas. The River Authority has partnered with SCTRCA to boost involvement of Small, Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (SWMBE) in government procurement activities. SCTRCA has established a memorandum of agreement with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, and some certifications may be reciprocal with the state's HUB program.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe River Authority is a Cooperating Technical Partner with FEMA for floodplain mapping. Through this partnership, FEMA recognizes the River Authority's floodplain mapping role performed on behalf of local communities.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership dating back to the 1954 San Antonio River Channel Improvements Project (SACIP) for flood control along 31 miles of the San Antonio River and its tributaries.
• Texas Water Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for flood planning, protection, and prevention initiatives and flood preparedness information sharing.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCEQ administers the Clean Rivers Program and provides grant funding through Clean Water Act Section 319(h) for green stormwater infrastructure projects.
• Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership under the Texas Clean Rivers Program to monitor the entire San Antonio River Basin.
• Texas Stream TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer monitoring program partnership where citizen scientists conduct monitoring throughout Texas to support water quality assessment.
• Bexar Regional Watershed Management (BRWM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for flood preparedness coordination among multiple governmental entities throughout the watershed.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner for dam maintenance and flood control infrastructure, particularly for Escondido Creek dams.
• City of San AntoniocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner providing majority of funding for River Authority projects. Collaborates on San Pedro Creek Culture Park, green infrastructure, Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, and bond-funded projects.
• Bexar CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner providing capital improvement funding. Collaborates on creeks and trails programs, LID training, and floodplain management.
• National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body that certified the River Authority Regional Environmental Laboratory (SARA-REL) for environmental testing services since 2008.
• South-Central Texas Environmental Task Force (SCT-ETF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTask force of agencies dedicated to enforcing local, state, and federal environmental laws. The River Authority collaborates with SCT-ETF to help reduce activities that cause environmental damage to streams.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Harris County Flood Control District: Special-purpose district focused on flood control infrastructure, channel maintenance, and stormwater management in the Houston region. Comparable infrastructure-heavy mandate, though more single-purpose than SARA.
• San Jacinto River Authority: Texas river authority operating water supply, wastewater, and environmental programs in the San Jacinto basin. Similar governmental structure and combined utility/watershed mandate.
• Tarrant Regional Water District: Texas water district delivering raw water, wastewater service, and flood-related infrastructure in the DFW area. Overlaps SARA's utility-side functions at larger scale.
• Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Texas river authority providing watershed management, water quality monitoring, wastewater services, and recreation across a multi-county basin. Closest direct analog to SARA in mandate and service mix.
• Nueces River Authority: Texas river authority providing water quality monitoring, environmental services, and water resource planning in the Nueces basin. Comparable in scale and function to SARA.
• Brazos River Authority: Texas river authority managing reservoirs, water/wastewater services, and environmental monitoring across the Brazos basin. Comparable statutory structure and service portfolio to SARA.
• Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District: Neighboring river authority partnered with SARA on the Texas Clean Rivers Program. Smaller jurisdiction but directly comparable statutory role covering a sub-basin of the San Antonio River system.
• Trinity River Authority of Texas: Regional Texas river authority operating wastewater treatment plants, water quality monitoring, and reservoir/flood projects across the Trinity River basin — directly comparable scope and authority structure.

Broad incumbents

• Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA): Larger and longer-established Texas river authority providing water supply, wastewater, flood management, and power generation across the Lower Colorado basin. Overlapping capabilities but broader mandate and scale than SARA.

Regional players

• City of Austin Watershed Protection Department: Municipal department handling flood mitigation, water quality, and stream restoration in Austin — different governance level but overlapping technical capabilities in green infrastructure, stream restoration, and monitoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sanantonioriver
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SARAIGCR/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/SanAntonioRiver
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-antonio-river-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/sanantonioriver

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Antonio River Authority