Reclaimed Water Pipeline Coming to Riverside Drive
Austin, TX · August 27, 2026
Early morning survey crews are staking out Riverside Drive today before the late-summer heat settles in. Keep an eye on lane shifts if your morning commute takes you south of the lake.
The Lead
Austin Water is preparing to expand its reclaimed water network along West Riverside Drive, bringing recycled purple pipes to the corridor between South First Street and Lee Barton Lane. The project will install roughly 2,800 feet of 24-inch pipeline designed to transport treated wastewater for non-potable uses like park irrigation, industrial cooling towers, and commercial plumbing. Diverting millions of gallons of treated water back into everyday utility needs eases demand on the Highland Lakes during the hottest stretch of the year. While construction will bring lane shifts and detours near Auditorium Shores starting next week, the long-term payoff is substantial water savings across the central core. Utility crews will post final lane markings and electronic detour boards along the corridor this weekend.
Local Pulse
Barton Springs Retaining Wall Repairs Begin Next Month Parks crews will restore the historic eastern stone masonry structure to protect shoreline stability and nearby heritage trees.
CapMetro Implements Fall Transit Service Changes Updated route alignments and adjusted frequencies roll out this week to match local school calendars and transit demand.
Today's Outlook
- High 105°F · Low 82°F — Drizzle
- Stay hydrated and keep a small umbrella handy for muggy, passing afternoon drizzles.
What's On Around Town
Songwriter's Happy Hour Hole in the Wall (2538 Guadalupe St), 6:00 PM Free acoustic sets by Sarah Walker and Andrew Blanton.
Cotton Clifton & The Hill Country Two-Step Sagebrush (5500 S Congress Ave), 7:00 PM Honky-tonk rhythms and dance floor two-stepping in South Austin.
The Front Festival Night Swim The LINE Austin (111 E Cesar Chavez St), 7:00–10:00 PM Rooftop pool party celebrating independent Texas women and LGBTQ+ artists.
Angels of Music The Butterfly Bar at The VORTEX (2307 Manor Rd), 9:00 PM Late-night outdoor performance paired with botanical patio cocktails.
Spotlight & Story
- Chicken Shit Bingo
- Started in the 1990s when honky-tonk musician Dale Watson introduced the feathered game at Ginny Kalmbach's neighborhood bar on Burnet Road, this Sunday ritual packs patrons around a numbered board waiting for a well-fed hen to make its fateful pick.
Austin Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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