Water Towers Serve as Community Pride, Resilience

As published in the Lake Travis View, Austin American Statesman, Feb. 2026

Every community has landmarks that tell a story of shared history or a desired future.

Sometimes it’s a historic courthouse in the town square. Sometimes it’s a beautifully maintained park, a new fire station, a bridge lit at night, or even a mural painted on a retaining wall. These structures do more than serve a purpose — they signal community investment, identity, and pride.

Water towers belong in that same category. Across the country, town names, logos, or mascots are painted on them, becoming symbols of local identity. One such tower is the Lakeway Municipal Utility District’s “golf ball” water tower that serves as a welcome beacon to Lakeway, Texas and a nod to the community’s resort-style character. The tower’s installation was a necessity in 1987, bringing much needed additional water pressure to the area, but painting it as a teed-up golf ball was an idea conceived after residents expressed their concern for the attractiveness of the tower. The tower was hand-painted by a crew of men, suspended by ropes, connected to pickup trucks 160 feet below them. Little did they know then how iconic that tower would become for Lakeway: a tangible reflection of the community’s values and identity, as well as foresight. Like the water utility behind its operation and maintenance, it’s just one part of a network of essential, working assets quietly serving every home and business in the community.

At its core, a water tower is simply a large storage tank positioned high above the ground. What makes it work so well is the force of gravity. When water is stored that high up, gravity naturally pushes it down through a system of pipes and into the surrounding homes and businesses, providing the steady water pressure we rely on every day—from turning on the shower to flushing the toilet or filling a glass. The higher the water, the stronger the pressure. If there’s a sudden surge in demand or the main pumps lose power, the stored water in the tower can help keep water flowing for a time. That’s why water towers are also vital emergency storage, providing extra water capacity for firefighting and temporary outages.

Behind every tower is a network of treatment plants, distribution lines, pumps, and highly skilled operations staff that make sure water is safe and available. Technologies are used to continuously monitor volumes and pressure as well as sample water to maintain quality, adjusting operations to meet fluctuating demand.

In times when headlines frequently focus on aging infrastructure across the nation, communities that maintain, modernize, and responsibly expand their systems demonstrate something powerful: commitment. Places that value preparedness by investing in their future make decisions that impact years — sometimes decades — ahead.

Adding a new water tower is not a cosmetic decision — it is the result of modeling, forecasting, and regulatory review. Financial planning determines how to phase improvements responsibly while maintaining affordability for customers. Utilities must ensure there is sufficient storage to meet peak demand and emergency scenarios. They must also consider how new infrastructure fits into the landscape, balancing operational needs with community aesthetics.

In Central Texas, we know that water is never just water. It’s Lake Travis levels watched anxiously after a dry summer. It’s aquifer readings reported during drought briefings. It’s lawn restrictions, conservation reminders, and long conversations about population growth. The presence of a visible, well-maintained water tower is a sign of long-term planning, investment, and commitment to public health, as well as a reminder of shared responsibility. These towers are part of how we keep our water flowing—and part of why our community thrives.

^{Stephanie Threinen is the public information liaison for the Lakeway Municipal Utility District. Earl Foster is the general manager of LMUD.}