Pilot Knoll improvements: city staff warn water and sewer systems need replacement; full rebuild estimated at $3.5M–$3.6M

City parks staff and consultants briefed the Highland Village Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on July 21 about infrastructure failures and proposed improvements at Pilot Knoll, the Corps-leased park on Lake Lewisville. Staff said aging potable-water and septic systems in the campground are undersized and failing and presented funding options tied to a larger project that would add cabins, upgrade the gatehouse and renovate day-use and trail areas.

Scope and condition: Park staff said the park currently includes 55 rentable RV spaces (56 counting a camp manager location), three large rentable pavilions, 24 picnic shelters, a boat ramp and parking, walking and equestrian trails, and vendor agreements for paddleboards, jet-ski rentals, a kayak kiosk and a firewood dispenser. Staff said the park was developed in 1966 and that some utility components date to the 1960s–1970s. “These systems … are outdated, failing, and need to be replaced now,” a staff presenter told the board.

Repairs and recent findings: An engineering review and work-order records show frequent water-line breaks and evidence the RV-area septic leach system is no longer functioning properly. During a recent site assessment staff…