Lake Travis water tunnels advance $225 million regional supply system in Central Texas

The Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority (BCRUA) has completed all underground construction for its new water delivery system, including two 11-ft-diameter tunnels bored beneath Lake Travis, as reported by KUT 90.5. Project officials said the mining and tunnel lining work is substantially complete, marking a major milestone for the $225 million regional water infrastructure project serving Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock. 

Construction on the system began in 2022 and is designed to significantly expand water supply reliability for the three fast-growing Williamson County cities. Once fully operational, the system will increase BCRUA’s capacity to 145 million gallons per day and reduce vulnerability to prolonged drought by allowing water withdrawals from deeper portions of Lake Travis.

Currently, the cities rely on floating barge-mounted pump stations, which are susceptible to declining lake levels during extreme drought conditions. According to KUT 90.5, the new system replaces that approach with a deep-water intake connected to underground tunnels that convey raw water to a pump station and then on to existing treatment plants serving the region.

Officials say the project provides long-term water security by ensuring continued access even when lake levels fall sharply. For Round Rock alone, the system is expected to provide up to an additional 40.8 million gallons per day, supporting anticipated growth for the next three to four decades.

The project highlights the benefits—and complexities—of regional water partnerships, which allow multiple municipalities to share infrastructure costs and capacity while coordinating long-term planning. BCRUA officials said the system is expected to be fully completed and operational in 2027, positioning the region to better meet future demand amid ongoing water supply challenges.

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