What Edwards Aquifer Authority does

The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) is a Texas groundwater conservation district created by the EAA Act of 1993 and operational since June 28, 1996, headquartered at 900 E. Quincy Street, San Antonio. It holds exclusive statutory jurisdiction over the Edwards Aquifer, an EPA-designated sole source of drinking water (1975) spanning eight counties and 8,000+ square miles, serving 2.5 million Texans and approximately 1,940 active permit holders. The agency's mandate is to manage groundwater withdrawals, prevent aquifer depletion, and protect springflows for federally listed threatened and endangered species under the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) issued in February 2013.

Core products and technology comprise: (1) a permit and compliance platform, including an Online Reporting Portal and Meter Matters App for groundwater use reporting; (2) Automated Meter Reading (AMR) systems supported by Bureau of Reclamation-funded SCADA-compatible digital registers (April 2023); (3) Critical Period Management — a five-stage drought restriction system triggered by J-17 (Bexar) and J-27 (Uvalde) index well readings; (4) conservation programs such as VISPO ($54/acre-foot standby, $160/acre-foot suspension) and ASR Springflow Protection ($100/acre-foot, 50,000 acre-feet maximum); (5) Groundwater Conservation Grants; (6) the EAA Environmental Data Portal launched June 2025; and (7) the Education Outreach Center, the country's first ultra-accessible aquifer education center (opened April 2022). Supporting infrastructure includes a GIS platform on ArcGIS Online, regulatory zone maps, a Texas Mesonet weather station, and a Field Research Park for conservation easement work.

EAA is not a commercial enterprise; it operates as a government state entity funded by annual groundwater permit fees (1,940 holders), per-acre-foot charges on ASR and VISPO enrollments, transaction convenience fees (2.75% credit card, $2.00 e-check), and grant funding from sources including the Texas Water Development Board ($1.5M in 2026), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, PepsiCo (2025), and corporate partners including H-E-B and Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Distribution runs through a self-serve online portal and direct customer service, supplemented by the Education Outreach Center, The Recharge Zone Podcast (Season 7), and the EAA YouTube channel. Subsidiaries include the Edwards Aquifer Conservancy (June 2014), the Education Outreach Center (April 2022), and the EAHCP program (February 2013). Governance is by a 17-member Board of Directors (15 elected plus 2 non-voting), and the agency is led by General Manager Roland Ruiz.

Name

Edwards Aquifer Authority

Legal name

Edwards Aquifer Authority

Website

https://edwardsaquifer.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Edwards Aquifer Authority is a Texas groundwater conservation district that manages the Edwards Aquifer across eight counties, serving 2.5 million Texans and 1,940 permit holders through permit administration, drought-stage Critical Period Management, conservation grants, and habitat protection programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Groundwater Management and Conservation

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Groundwater management services
• Aquifer conservation programs
• Water resource regulation
• Habitat conservation planning
• Drought management systems

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Groundwater Permit Fees: Annual permit fees from 1,940 permit holders for groundwater withdrawal rights. Fees support aquifer management and operations.
2. Groundwater Conservation Grants: EAA administers grant programs funded by Texas Water Development Board ($1,500,000 approved in 2026) and other sources to support agricultural irrigation efficiency upgrades.
3. ASR Program Fees: Aquifer Storage and Recovery program with flat fee of $100 per acre-foot per year from enrolled permit holders.
4. VISPO Program Payments: Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option compensates irrigation users $54/acre-foot standby plus $160/acre-foot suspension rate when triggered.
5. Online Payment Processing: Convenience fees of 2.75% for credit card transactions (minimum $2) and $2.00 for e-check transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Edwards Aquifer Authority is a state-mandated groundwater conservation district that regulates and manages groundwater withdrawal from the Edwards Aquifer across eight Central Texas counties. It issues and administers groundwater permits to approximately 1,940 permit holders, operates drought and Critical Period Management protocols, administers voluntary conservation and habitat protection programs (VISPO and ASR), and funds aquifer science, monitoring, and public education programs serving 2.5 million Texans.

Product overview

The Edwards Aquifer Authority is a regional water management agency offering a comprehensive suite of products and services centered on groundwater conservation and aquifer protection. The core offerings include permit management systems (Online Reporting Portal, Online Payments), conservation programs (Groundwater Conservation Plan, Groundwater Conservation Grants), and drought management tools (Critical Period/Drought Management, VISPO, ASR). Supporting infrastructure includes the Environmental Data Portal (launched June 2025), the Education Outreach Center (opened April 2022), and The Recharge Zone Podcast. The organization manages approximately 1,940 permit holders across eight Texas counties serving 2.5 million Texans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Edwards Aquifer Conservancy: A nonprofit organization created to support and benefit the work of the EAA by raising funds to support EAA programs.
• Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP)
• Meter Matters App
• The Recharge Zone Podcast

Products and services

• Groundwater Withdrawal Permits Statutory permits authorizing groundwater withdrawal from the Edwards Aquifer, issued to municipal, agricultural, industrial, and residential users. Currently held by 1,940 active permit holders across the jurisdiction.
• Online Reporting Portal Web-based portal allowing permit holders to submit monthly and annual groundwater use reports, meter readings, and compliance documentation to the EAA.
• Online Payments Online payment processing service enabling permit holders to pay fees and charges via credit card (2.75% convenience fee, $2 minimum) or electronic check ($2.00 per transaction).
• Groundwater Conservation Plan (GCP) Regional guidance document requiring municipal, industrial, and irrigation permit holders to implement individual conservation programs and document their efforts every three years through Best Management Practices.
• Groundwater Conservation Grants Grant program providing funding to Edwards groundwater users implementing practices that reduce water use, particularly for agricultural irrigation efficiency projects. Funded by Texas Water Development Board ($1,500,000 approved June 2026), Bureau of Reclamation, and corporate partners including PepsiCo.
• VISPO (Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option) Voluntary program under the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan that compensates enrolled irrigation permit holders for protecting springflow for federally listed threatened and endangered species during drought conditions ($54/acre-foot standby, $160/acre-foot suspension). 41,795 acre-feet enrollment goal.
• ASR (Aquifer Storage and Recovery) Springflow Protection Program Water conservation program protecting springflow for threatened and endangered species by financially compensating permit holders who enroll groundwater rights. Flat fee of $100 per acre-foot per year. Maximum enrollment of 50,000 acre-feet reached in 2024.
• Critical Period/Drought Management System implementing permit reductions and drought management protocols based on aquifer water levels, with staged restrictions (Stage 2-5) triggering percentage-based withdrawal reductions.
• Meter Matters App Mobile application for well owners to track and manage their groundwater meter readings and usage reporting obligations.
• Environmental Data Portal Public-facing data platform providing vetted environmental data across the Edwards Aquifer region for research and monitoring purposes.
• Education Outreach Center (EOC) The country's first ultra-accessible aquifer education center featuring interactive exhibits, field trips, and hands-on activities. Served 11,000 visitors in 2025 and over 10,000 students via field trips.
• Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) Comprehensive habitat conservation plan implementing measures to protect covered species including the Texas blind salamander, Comal Springs riffle beetle, and other threatened and endangered species through flow protection and habitat restoration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 129% increase in Texas wild-rice coverage from summer 2013 to summer 2019 through restoration efforts
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Texas UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Aquifer Allies program partnering with Texas universities and colleges to advance aquifer science research and student engagement.
• Southwest Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025EAA partnered with SwRI hosting the second EdTalks seminar featuring EAA GM Roland Ruiz in March 2025.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Awarded $1 million grant for EAHCP permit renewal work. Partner in Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan implementation since 2013.
• H-E-BminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Corporate partnership supporting EOC activities with volunteer work and $1,000 donation.
• San Antonio Water System (SAWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020Completed implementation of Regional Water Conservation Program under EAHCP. Partner in ASR (Aquifer Storage and Recovery) program since 2015.
• Edwards Aquifer ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Nonprofit created in June 2014 to support EAA by raising funds for programs. Holds conservation easements including Dischinger-Brehmer Ranch on the Recharge Zone.
• Morgan's Wonderland CampcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Partnership to advance water education and public engagement. EOC (country's first ultra-accessible aquifer education center) opened at Morgan's Wonderland Camp in April 2022.
• Nueces River AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joint Funding Agreement partner in EAHCP implementation and habitat conservation efforts.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• San Antonio Water System (SAWS): The largest municipal water utility in the Edwards Aquifer region and a long-standing EAA partner on ASR and regional water conservation programs. Comparable as a primary groundwater user and conservation program co-administrator with overlapping mission on water security for the San Antonio area.
• High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1: Texas groundwater conservation district managing the Ogallala Aquifer across the Texas Panhandle. Direct peer in regulatory mandate, permit holder management, and conservation program design, though it operates in a different aquifer context with more agricultural concentration.
• Harris-Galveston Subsidence District: A Texas special-purpose district that regulates groundwater withdrawal in Harris and Galveston counties to prevent land subsidence. Direct peer to EAA in regulatory model, permit management, and aquifer-level conservation enforcement, though it focuses on subsidence rather than species protection.
• Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: A Texas groundwater conservation district with statutory authority to manage groundwater resources in the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. Direct peer to EAA with an overlapping aquifer system, similar permitting, monitoring, and conservation mandate, but covering a smaller jurisdictional area in Central Texas.

Broad incumbents

• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: The primary state environmental regulatory agency overseeing air quality, water quality, and waste management in Texas. Overlaps with EAA on water quality, permitting, and environmental compliance, but operates at a much broader scope as a multi-media regulator.
• Texas Water Development Board: State agency responsible for statewide water planning and administering financial assistance to water projects. Broader in scope than EAA, but is a key funding partner (e.g., $1.5M agricultural water conservation grant) and a statewide authority for water-related data and policy.

Regional players

• Trinity River Authority: Texas river authority managing water resources and treatment in the Trinity River basin. Operates a similar water management and stewardship mandate to EAA at a regional scale, though it is surface-water focused and serves a different geography in East Texas.
• Lower Colorado River Authority: Texas river authority providing water, power, and park services across the lower Colorado River basin. Comparable in scale and regional water management responsibilities, though with a different geographic focus and broader service portfolio than EAA.
• Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority: Texas river authority managing water resources in the Guadalupe and Blanco river basins, which overlap with the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. Comparable in regional water stewardship role, though its mandate is broader and surface-water focused versus EAA's groundwater focus.
• North Texas Municipal Water District: Regional water provider serving north Texas communities with raw and treated water supplies. Comparable in regional water supply stewardship and infrastructure investment, though it operates a different water source portfolio and service geography than EAA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edwardsaquifer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EdwardsAquiferAuthorityEAA
• Facebookfacebook.com/edwards-aquifer-authority-education-official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/edwards-aquifer-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/edwardsaquiferauthority
• Pinterestpinterest.com/EdwardsAquiferAuthority

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Edwards Aquifer Authority