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Audit: Austin Water is reducing main failures but lacks formal prioritization procedures
Summary
City auditor staff reported that Austin Water’s water main failure rate is declining and below industry benchmarks, but the utility lacks fully documented procedures for planning large‑diameter leak detection and small‑diameter replacement projects.
Sam Sokolow, auditor in charge with the City Auditor’s Office, presented the office’s audit of water main maintenance and repair to the Audit and Finance Committee on March 26.
The audit found the city has roughly 4,000 miles of water mains and that Austin Water’s distribution‑main failure rate has generally declined and sits below industry and optimized benchmarks. The office credited Austin Water’s Renewing Austin small‑diameter replacement program, contracted leak detection and condition assessments, timely repair response for high‑priority leaks and coordination with Transportation and Public Works for road closures and restoration.
Why it matters: The audit found the utility has not “formally and fully documented procedures” for (1) planning and prioritizing large‑diameter leak detection and condition assessment projects and (2) prioritizing small‑diameter pipe replacement. The auditors recommended Austin Water create formal policies and procedures to ensure consistent focus on the highest‑risk pipes and preserve institutional knowledge.
Other findings: The audit observed roughly 250,000 service‑line connections; unlike mains, service‑line failure rates are above average. Auditors said repeated failures on the same service lines are common — some customer locations have had the same line repaired more than 10 times. Staff cited polybutylene, a discontinued pipe material, as a driver of recurring service‑line breaks; Austin Water is working to replace these lines.
Committee discussion: Council members asked about the meaning of “optimized benchmarks” (auditors cited academic research and American Water Works Association data) and how construction activity contributes to large breaks. Sokolow said contractor strikes of large‑diameter mains are relatively rare (about three per year in the reviewed data) but most breaks involve smaller‑diameter pipes. Members also asked for follow‑up detail about how two‑inch lines serve multifamily buildings; auditors deferred technical clarifications to Austin Water.
Ending: The auditors thanked Austin Water for cooperation and recommended formalizing procedures for leak detection, condition assessment and replacement prioritization. Committee members thanked the auditors and requested followup technical details from Austin Water on service‑line configurations and multifamily connections.
