 by Paul Robbins Can Fixing Austin’s Leaking Water Pipes Replace Water Treatment Plants? In This Story… • Leaks in Austin’s 3,900 miles of water pipelines resulted in the loss of over 9 billion gallons per year in 2024, about 17% of total water supply. This is enough water to fill Lady Bird Lake twice a year. • Almost 80% of these leaks came from old Polybutylene service lines and Cast Iron pipe. The overnight cost to replace this would be about $1.7 billion (in 2025 dollars). • Despite considerable expense of water leaks, the City of Austin only replaces about 1/5 of 1% of its water pipe system per year. In 2010, the City of Austin exercised stupendously poor judgment in building a fourth treatment facility at the edge of Lake Travis, now known as Handcox Water Treatment Plant. The cost was $529 million plus interest ($871 million in 2025 dollars). And in the tradition of bureaucracies stuck in archaic business models, the City recently commissioned a doubling of Handcox capacity, from 50 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) to 100 MGD, to be completed by 2031. When completed, Austin will own 385 MGD of capacity. This is 69% more capacity than it has ever used since the launch of comprehensive water conservation actions implemented in 2007. The most recent cost estimate is $145 million plus interest (2025 dollars). Ironically, while Austin is treating all of this water, it has a gigantic leak problem. In 2025, Austin Water operated 3,917 linear miles of pipelines delivering water over a service area of 548 square miles. These ranged from small service lines to individual homes 2 inches or less in diameter all the way up to large service mains 7 feet wide. And this infrastructure leaked about 17% of the water it transported, about 9.3 billion gallons, in 2024. This is enough to fill Lady Bird Lake twice a year. Over time, the leaks have actually gotten worse, from 13 gallons per person per day in 2007 to as high as 23 gallons in 2024. Most of these leaks are not the streams and occasional geysers seen on Austin streets. Rather, they are hidden below ground.  Water leaks are common in a municipal water system as old as Austin’s. However, this huge volume of lost water in a water-scarce area is alarming and unacceptable. This leads to the question: can fixing Austin’s underground pipes economically compete with new water treatment plants and new water supply sources? The Mirage of a Dependable Water Supply In 1999, Austin paid the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) $100 million to guarantee a future water supply of 350,000 acre-feet a year until the year 2050. This is about double the volume that the city currently uses. This seems like a huge amount, but it only exists on paper. In a serious drought, this supply cannot be depended on. A recently published story on future water supply shortages in Central Texas explained that drought, exacerbated with global warming, sediment that is filling the Highland Lakes, increased population, and stagnating water conservation efforts can cause acute water shortages in as little as 15 years. The Worst Materials and the Cost of Replacement About 80% of Austin’s leaks are found in two legacy pipe materials whose installations ceased decades ago: Polybutylene (PB) and Cast Iron (CI). About 22% of Austin’s water leak volume occur in PB pipes. Austin Water used this material beginning in the late 1950s, though its use greatly diminished by 1990. By then, PB had become widely recognized for advanced deterioration when exposed to chemicals in water treatment such as chlorine and fluoride. Expensive lawsuits against manufacturers ensued, and water utilities discontinued its use. But the legacy…and the leaks, remain. The overnight cost to replace PB service lines would be about $134 million. About 3/4ths of remaining leak volume is found in about 860 miles of older CI pipe, even though Cast Iron material makes up less than a quarter of the network. Given CI’s reputation as an inferior material, almost none has been installed in Austin since 1992.
A Repair System That Can’t Keep Up It is not fair to say that Austin Water has completely neglected its troubled system. In 2024, it spent almost $21.6 million to replace 7.5 miles (out of 3,917 miles) of water pipes. Another $2.7 million in 2024 was used to replace failing PB service lines to buildings. And another $12.5 million was expensed on above-ground “same day” water leak repair that year. Despite this attention, its old system apparently cannot be fixed fast enough. As the saying goes, “rust never sleeps.” In the case of Cast Iron pipe, you can take this literally. PLEASE TAKE 5 minutes to send a message to the Water and Wastewater Commission and the Water Forward Task Force asking them to urge City Leaders to prioritize repairing Austin’s aging infrastructure and stop wasting billions of gallons of our precious water each year. Add a short, personal note if you can because real people sharing their concerns are what move decisions. Paul Robbins is an environmental activist and consumer advocate living in Austin. He has been Editor of the Austin Environmental Directory, a sourcebook of green issues, products, services, and organizations, since 1995.
In this Issue:This Wednesday, (TOMORROW) 6 PM: Data Center Policies to Be Discussed at Austin Environmental CommissionCall to Action on Water Conservation: Can Fixing Austin’s Leaking Water Pipes Replace Water Treatment Plants?Austin Free Press: Barton Springs "Currents" Bass Edition by Lindsey Holmes Upcoming Earth Day Events Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting Event  Fix the Leaks First: A Call to Prioritize Austin's Water Infrastructure Over Expansion Austin is losing billions of gallons of water every year through aging pipes, while the City pours hundreds of millions into new treatment plants. It's like trying to fill a bucket with holes using a firehose instead of a faucet. Our infrastructure is decades old, the materials are failing and the leaks keep growing. Paul Robbins’ new report, Water Conservation: The Broken River, Part 1, makes it clear: we can’t keep pouring billions into treating more water while we lose so much of what we already have. The system is bleeding, and the solutions are obvious. Fix the leaks first. Read the full story here, as Robbins lays out where the system is failing, where dollars are wasted, and where real risk lies for our water future. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that our voices still matter. Take five minutes today: send a message to the Water and Wastewater Commission and the Water Forward Task Force. Urge them to prioritize fixing the pipes we already have before spending even more on expansion. Add a line about why this matters to you. Robbins’ report is the evidence; our voices are the leverage. Together, they might finally move this ship away from total inefficiency. Stay tuned for the The Broken River Part 2, which continues to explore how replacing Austin’s aging water pipes will save money, conserve water, and prepare the city for drought, while challenging the assumption that a new treatment plant is the only solution.  Data Center Policies to Be Discussed at Austin Environmental Commission Communities are waking up to the reality that Texas has been targeted for resource extraction—turning our water into data storage and the development of artificial intelligence for billionaires and mega corporations. The rapid proliferation of data centers, particularly here in the Austin-to-San Antonio corridor is throwing out our regional water planning and conservation goals, overwhelming our energy grid, and increasing air quality concerns, with new power plants and diesel-powered generators. We’re glad to see that the Austin Environmental Commission (Item 4) has decided to weigh in on the conversation. They'll be talking about what policy recommendations to make to the Austin City Council on April 1, 2026, at 6pm (6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Events Center Room 1405, Austin, Texas 78752). This is a good opportunity for you to voice your concerns about data centers. You can sign in to speak on the item, or send an email to them in advance. If you are curious about what you can do in your communities to address data centers, here are a couple recently published resource guides from our partner organizations: Sierra Club, Public Citizen. You can also follow @data.center.action.coalition and @saveoursprings on Instagram for updates on local actions and events.
 Every day is Earth Day, but in April we go all out! Come see SOS at these awesome events over the next few weeks. Learn about our work, meet like-minded folks, and find ways to protect our waters, parks, and wild spaces. Earth Day ATX 2026: “A Moment for Us” When: Saturday, April 11, 12 PM-5 PM Where: Huston-Tillotson University (900 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702) What: Join one of Central Texas’s longest-running sustainability celebrations at HTU. Explore engaging exhibits, hands-on activities, and interactive programming that connect you to the environment and the local green community. Meet fellow attendees passionate about environmental stewardship and discover practical ways to make a difference in your everyday life. Meadows Center Earth Day Festival When: Saturday, April 18, 10 AM-4 PM Where: Spring Lake (201 San Marcos Springs Drive, San Marcos, Texas) What: Celebrate the 13th Annual Earth Day San Marcos Festival with family and friends at the headwaters of the San Marcos River. Enjoy live performances, demonstrations, and hands-on activities while connecting with local eco-focused organizations and vendors. This year’s theme, One Heart, Many Waters, highlights our community’s deep connection to water and the ecosystems that give us life. UT Austin Earth Day Fair When: Wednesday, April 22, 2 PM – 5 PM Where: Gregory Plaza, UT Austin (2101 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712) What: Earth Day is a movement to protect our planet and inspire new practices. Stop by the Hooked on Earth Day Fair to explore sustainability initiatives, green innovations, and ways to support a healthier campus and community. Connect with student organizations, programs, and local sustainability leaders, sip on solar-powered smoothies, and learn how small actions can make a big difference.
Earth Day is almost here! Whether you’re paddling, hiking, learning about rainwater harvesting, swimming in the springs, or checking out one of the MANY Earth Day events around town, we hope you’ll take time to connect with the waters and the wild that make Austin so special.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to add your voice to the conversation by submitting your comments on the CTRMA draft Environmental Assessment HERE before May 3rd! In Solidarity, SOS Alliance In this Issue:Speak Up Against the MoPac South Expansion This Saturday, March 14th Paddle for the People, Guided Kayak Event on Lady Bird Lake Save Our Springs from Wastewater -- Donate Today  Speak Up Against the MoPac South Expansion A Threat to Water, Wildlife, and Austin Communities The battle against the South MoPac expansion isn’t new, but our opposition is more urgent than ever. SOS and local allies have been pushing back against this short-sighted, environmentally harmful project since 2012. In 2016, a powerful groundswell of experts, neighbors, and community leaders shut it down, standing together for the water, wildlife, and neighborhoods that make Austin unique. Time to do it all again. Now the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) has revived the project, and we need all hands on deck. They are proposing to widen 8.7 miles of MoPac South from Enfield Road to Slaughter Lane, adding 6–8 new lanes and bringing the total width to as many as 13–18 lanes in some sections. The plan includes new toll lanes, auxiliary lanes, and bridges over Lady Bird Lake and Barton Creek. The expansion would push a massive highway footprint through the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, alongside Zilker Park, Austin High School, and neighborhoods throughout the corridor. “The Zilker Neighborhood Association has opposed the MoPac South expansion project for over a decade and is now a proud member and financial supporter of the Better MoPac Coalition. There are an absurd number of reasons to oppose CTRMA’s seemingly relentless quest to toll Austin area residents and the environment. The Better MoPac Coalition is our best hope,” states ZNA President JD Leonard. The Better MoPac Coalition formed in 2024, bringing together a diverse coalition of environmental groups, neighborhood associations, and local advocates to rally public awareness. We’ve been steadily building momentum, and now that draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed MoPac South expansion has been released, our next critical step is to submit comments and make our voices heard. The EA leaves much to be desired, downplaying the effects to water, wildlife, and communities and declaring a "finding of no significant impact". Now is the time to tell them otherwise. The official public hearing comment period started Monday, March 9, and goes through Sunday, May 3, 2026. How to Get Involved
Submit your comment today and join us in standing up for Austin’s most precious resources.  Save Our Springs from Wastewater! The fight to protect the Edwards Aquifer and Barton Springs from wastewater pollution from the Hays Commons Development is heating up. The preliminary hearing begins Tuesday, March 10, and SOS will have several months to gather evidence and then present its case to an administrative law judge. The project would irrigate treated municipal sewage over the fragile Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone—full of caves and karst features—threatening nearby wells and Barton Springs. A recent report from Edwards Aquifer expert Dr. Nico Hauwert highlights the serious risks of pathogenic contamination and why strong watershed protection is critical, which you can read here. You’ve already helped by submitting comments on the draft permit in 2024 -- thank you! Now we need your support to continue and win this fight. SOS must fund expert witness testimony and a detailed geologic assessment of the irrigation area to support the testimony of our experts about the certainty of groundwater contamination associated with the permit. Your donation today will directly strengthen our case and help defend Barton Springs and our aquifer. Give now and stand with SOS in this fight. From the MoPac South expansion to Hays Commons, we are rising up together and refuse to be ignored on these major trespasses against our water, wildlife, and neighborhoods. We know it’s exhausting, and it often feels like the odds are against us. However, every comment, every campaign, every legal fight, and every gift makes a real difference.
Your support helps SOS fund expert research, legal action, and community organizing to protect the places we all love in Central Texas. Thank you for standing with us. In Solidarity, SOS Alliance  In less than three days, we kick off Amplify Austin Day—a 24-hour local giving sprint on March 4th that boosts local nonprofits like Save Our Springs Alliance. There's no need to wait! Early Giving has begun, and we are aiming to raise $17,000 to protect Barton Springs, the Edwards Aquifer, and our Hill Country watersheds. By becoming a supporter during Amplify Austin, you will help us expand our team, upgrade our Education programming, and mobilize our community.
Every dollar makes a tangible, local impact. Whether it’s $50, $100, or $500, your contribution directly supports the long term protection of Barton Springs and the waters that flow through the Edwards Aquifer and sustain our community. More ways to step up locally:
Thank you for jumping in, turning up, and getting creative during this intense week of action. Your time, energy, and bold ideas are exactly what keeps the fight for our local waterways, unique wildlife, and community going. We see you, and we couldn’t do this without you.
For the love of water & wild places, SOS Alliance |
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