Austin Water
Blog: In the Pipeline
A collage of three images related to Austin Water, including an aerial shot of Lady Bird Lake with the downtown skyline in the background, a view of a clarifier basin at a water treatment plant, and a worker adjusting bolts on a pipe with a wrench.
Austin Water crews show off the SmartBall leak detection tool
Inside Austin Water
Meet the SmartBall: Austin Water's 'Eyes and Ears' on Our Pipelines

One of the coolest tools our pipeline workers use in the field while they're tracking down sneaky leaks is called the SmartBall®.

Austin Water's Tunnel Boring Machine for the McNeil Transmission Main project.
Project Updates
The Dolores Dispatch: Gettin' Bored on McNeil Drive

My name is Dolores, and I'm about to help Austin out big time by digging a giant hole underground.

The construction crew for Austin Water's McNeil Transmission Main project posing in front of Dolores, the project's tunnel boring machine or TBM
Project Updates
The Dolores Dispatch: What’s the Deal With McNeil?

Austin Water is tunneling underground for more than a mile and a half to install a new water transmission main pipe along McNeil Drive.

  • About this blog

    In the Pipeline is our ongoing story of the projects and people keeping water flowing across Austin. Whether you're an interested neighbor or certified infrastructure enthusiast, we're taking you behind the scenes of the work Austin Water is doing every day to improve your water and wastewater service.

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2026