2-Mile Tunnel to Bring Deep-Water Supply to Round Rock, Leander, Cedar Park

Approximately 300 feet below the surface of Lake Travis, completion work is ongoing for a 2-mile underground tunnel that forms part of a larger initiative to bolster drought resilience in Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park. The ambitious $225 million project aims to draw water from the depths of the lake through a series of tunnels, a pump station, and pre-existing water infrastructure to serve the three cities.

While construction commenced in 2022 with an initially projected completion date in spring 2027, delays have been encountered, according to Sam Roberts, the general manager of the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority. Created as a collaborative effort among Cedar Park, Leander, and Round Rock, the authority manages the treatment and distribution of water sourced from Lake Travis that the cities have contracted from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

Funding for the project is sourced from loans acquired from the Texas Water Development Board and contributions from the involved municipalities. Drawing comparisons to Austin’s similar subaquatic infrastructure under Lake Travis for water intake, Roberts highlighted the utilization of a 2-mile tunnel cut 300 feet deep below the lake’s surface to transport water to a pump station on Lime Creek Road.

Typically relying on floating barges with pumps reaching depths of around 60 feet below the lake’s peak level of 681 feet above sea level, Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park currently draw water from a shallower part of Lake Travis. In contrast, the innovative deep-water initiative incorporates pumps capable of extracting water from depths of up to 121 feet below the lake surface, once completed, eliminating the need for barges.

Michael Thane, Round Rock’s director of public works, emphasized the project’s fundamental aim of bolstering drought resilience, terming it as the ultimate planned solution. Leveraging mainly Lake Travis for water supply, Cedar Park and Leander are particularly dependent on the reservoir, with Round Rock also sourcing water from the Edwards Aquifer.

The project’s deep-water intake facility will extend approximately 9,800 feet farther into Lake Travis than the current floating intakes, significantly enhancing water access during severe drought conditions. A newly constructed 10-foot diameter underground tunnel spanning 2 miles serves as the conduit for water, passing through limestone before being lined with concrete, marking a significant engineering feat.

Water from the tunnel feeds into a lift station currently being constructed in Cedar Park on Lime Creek Road, with a pumping capacity of 145 million gallons per day upon completion. The water is then channeled through a 78-inch line enclosed in a 2,000-foot tunnel cutting across the lake to interact with an existing line in Trails End Road, eventually reaching the Brushy Creek Regional Utility’s plant in Cedar Park and serving the three cities.

The aboveground section of the lift station, projected to cover roughly 20,000 square feet and extend 95 feet tall on completion, will feature a Tuscan-style facade blending seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood. A six-pump system stationed approximately 300 feet underground draws water from the 2-mile tunnel to supply the treatment plants in Cedar Park and Leander, ensuring a consistent flow to the three cities.

Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin of Cedar Park expressed admiration for the subterranean tunnel, labeling it as an impressive infrastructure marvel. With ongoing efforts to fortify water resiliency in the face of future challenges, the completion of the deep-water intake project is poised to offer sustainable water solutions to Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park.