Robust investments in replacing, improving and expanding Austin's water and wastewater infrastructure paired with proactive maintenance ensures reliable and dependable service.

Managing Water Loss

The American Water Works Association and Texas Water Development Board establish industry standards for water loss, known as the Infrastructure Leak Index or ILI. Water loss is a function of leakage from the mains and fixtures and a utility’s ILI is scaled to take into account the number of connections and the miles of mains in the system. ILI is not affected by water use or population, which varies from city to city. 

For a utility the size of Austin Water, an ILI of between 3 and 5 is considered appropriate. 

  • Austin Water’s ILI for 2023 was 4.18.
  • Austin Water is working to complete the 2024 Water Loss Audit and ILI for the Texas Water Development Board.  The 2024 ILI will be available in May and posted here.  
Treatment Plant Maintenance
Water
Pipeline and Valve Maintenance
  • Leak Detection - Austin Water uses various listening devices to detect leaks. Leak detection is conducted by traditional canvasing using hydrophones or with tethered or free swimming devices that can detect leaks from within a pipe or main.  Satellite images are also analyzed to determine locations likely to have leaks.
Sewer System Maintenance
  • Smoke Testing - Austin Water regularly performs sewer system smoke testing throughout Austin to help locate defects and improve the sanitary sewer services.
  • Sewer Cleaning and Camera Inspection
Hydrant Testing and Flushing
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