Lampasas staff says Stillhouse Hollow remains primary supply; alternative-source study due in March

City staff told the Lampasas City Council that treated water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake remains the primary long-term supply for the city and that an alternative water-supply study by Jones & Associates will be brought to council in March for budget and capital planning.

Speaking to the council, a city staff member said staff and the city’s consultant concluded current treated water delivered from Stillhouse is "the future of Lampasas" but that supplemental sources could reduce outage risk. The staff member said the study—completed by Jones & Associates—will describe options ranging from local, small emergency treatment plants to regional projects and groundwater storage plans.

On contract and allocation questions, staff said Lampasas purchases water via Central Texas Water Supply (distributed by a neighboring supplier referenced in the transcript with variant spellings: “Kipner/Kempner/Kifton”) and that occasional months of excess production by that distributor have occurred but are infrequent (staff cited three to four occurrences in approximately the past 13–14 months). The staff presentation noted that disputes about payments or plant costs between distributor entities are contractual matters between those suppliers and not the city’s obligation.

Staff briefly reviewed previously considered alternatives. A previously discussed purchase of the Lake Cliff Water Plant was described as financially infeasible after a July 2024 tour and capital assessment. Staff cautioned that treating water at Stillhouse and transporting it long distances can create water-quality challenges such as elevated water age and nitrification during summer months.

The council discussed interconnections and flow direction for regional links. Staff clarified that current interconnects are effectively one-way flows from Stillhouse/Belton toward Georgetown and said the Brazos River Authority retains obligations under existing city agreements. The council also discussed the Central Texas Water Alliance’s conceptual work on extracting and storing water from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, with staff warning the concept faces technical and regulatory hurdles and that cost and location estimates are not yet available.

Staff recommended returning in March with the completed alternative water-supply study to allow council to consider potential capital projects and budget implications. The council did not take a formal vote on policy in the open discussion; staff described the March presentation as the next procedural step.