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Lakeway Municipal Utility District reports lakes near full, outlines water-line and tank upgrades
Summary
Lakeway MUD General Manager Earl Foster told Lakeway council that combined Highland Lakes storage is about 93% and outlined planned work including a 16-inch water main to Rough Hollow Drive, a proposed 1,000,000-gallon elevated tank and a new clear well with 300‑hp pumps.
Lakeway Municipal Utility District General Manager Earl Foster briefed the Lakeway City Council on Aug. 18 about current lake storage and planned infrastructure improvements, saying combined Highland Lakes storage is about 93 percent.
“Lake Travis is at 89% and Lake Buchanan at 99%,” Foster said, presenting inflow charts and drought‑contingency staging. He said the district is in Stage 1 restrictions (two‑day irrigation) and noted a regional discussion about possibly moving to a permanent one‑day irrigation schedule around 2028.
Foster described planned MUD projects: a new 16‑inch water line out Rough Hollow Drive tapering to 12 inches, a proposed 1,000,000‑gallon elevated storage tank near Highland, and a clear well addition (Clear Well No. 4) at the plant with three 300‑hp pumps and a standby generator to float with existing wells. The project would also carry water from the PUA inlet and increase pumping and storage capacity to serve higher elevations.
Foster said inflow data come primarily from LCRA gauges at the head of Buchanan and on the Llano River and that the LCRA’s water management plan modeling had drawn comments from firm customers and municipalities requesting higher minimum storage thresholds to protect firm water users. He said the MUD would participate in an LCRA meeting to discuss water management and the MUD’s comments on the plan.
Councilmembers pressed Foster on intake location and depth; Foster said the intake sits near mile marker 16–17 and can draw to a depth of 5.75 feet. He and council also discussed contingency costs if LCRA requires “chasing water” (relocating intakes farther downstream) in low‑lake scenarios.
Foster said the district would attend LCRA sessions and noted a Lake Travis area water‑management meeting for local political leadership planned for Sept. 4 in Lakeway to coordinate regional comments.
Ending — Foster thanked the council and said the MUD will continue coordination with LCRA and local governments on drought planning and infrastructure timing. The council scheduled follow‑up coordination with firm customers in the region.
