The overview
Last summer, Austin City Council discussed the removal of the Barton Creek Interceptor—a large wastewater pipeline which intercepts, or receives, wastewater flows from around the Southwest Austin area.
The pipeline measures 11,000 feet in length, and was built in the 1960s. Concerns regarding the age of the pipeline and its limited capacity to serve the growing region have been shared by council members like Paige Ellis, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
To address these concerns, the city passed a resolution to explore options for removing the existing pipeline and implementing a new one. In addition to this, a brand new pipeline, the 13,900-foot MoPac Interceptor, has been proposed by Austin Water, as well as the Thousand Oaks Interceptor. These pipelines would serve regions west of MoPac, such as West Lake Hills, and would provide additional capacity for development in the region, according to an Austin Water staff report.
In November, in response to the city of Austin’s resolution to find options for removing the Barton Creek Interceptor, Austin Water officials prepared a staff report on the project, detailing proposals for improved pipelines in the Southwest Austin area, which was presented to the city of Austin’s Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee.
Pipelines proposed in the report include a reconstruction of the Barton Creek Interceptor as well as an entirely new MoPac Interceptor and Thousand Oaks Interceptor. Cities like West Lake Hills, which connect to Austin’s wastewater collection system, would be impacted by these new projects.
“If the MoPac Interceptor were to be constructed, flows from west of MoPac would be conveyed by the new interceptor rather than by the existing Barton Creek Interceptor,” the representative said.
As of May, the MoPac interceptor has not yet been designed. However, preliminary engineering work is slated to begin on Thousand Oaks later this year, the representative said.
What’s next?
Preliminary engineering work taking place on the Thousand Oaks pipeline this year will include the following, according to Austin Water officials:
- Data collection and site investigation: A detailed topographic survey will take place, involving soil and groundwater assessments as well as identifying any environmental constraints on the proposed pipeline.
- Alignment and routing study: Potential alignments of the pipeline will be evaluated, with the goal of minimizing environmental and community impacts or any conflicts with existing infrastructure.
- Cost analysis: Probable cost of the project will be assessed after potential alignments are proposed.
