Donaldson Terrace

Infrastructure Issues

SAWS Newsletter Highlights Donaldson Terrace

The following article was taken from the September, 2004 San Antonio Water Systems Newsletter.


Olga Lizcano cares dearly for her neighborhood, Donaldson Terrace. As the former President of the Donaldson Terrace Neighborhood Association, Olga's priorities were overseeing a facelift of Seeling Park and improvements with the area’s drainage, especially along Seeling Street.

SAWS is completing Phase One of a four-phase, $8 million infrastructure upgrade in the neighborhood. Phase II just got underway and is scheduled for completion by the end of this year. During severe floods in July 2002, Seeling Street and several other streets around the Woodlawn Lake area, experienced high water. The flooding accentuated a number of infrastructure problems: poor drainage, decaying wastewater lines, and old water supply lines.

"That flood was a real eye opener," says Lizcano, a resident in the neighborhood for 35 years. "We're an older section of the city and like other areas of the city we needed upgrades with our storm water system and our sewer lines. I was impressed with how SAWS came in and immediately started addressing their end of the situation."

SAWS Project Coordinator, Jose Rodriguez noted that the age of the infrastructure in the area contributed to the trouble. "Old sewer mains were carrying excess storm water, which they weren't designed to do," said Rodriguez. "We're working hand-in-hand with the city. As they are coming in to replace and repair the drainage here, we're installing new sewer and water mains. We've got a ways to go but we'll get there."

"SAWS has been very helpful and very responsive to our needs," adds Olga. "We'’ve got to preserve our inner city areas, and SAWS is helping to do just that. The folks here are very appreciative of their support and commitment."