Texas Water & Sewer Infrastructure: A Homeowner’s Guide

I’m an HVAC and infrastructure expert in Texas, and I’ve seen first-hand how big-picture problems—like aging water mains, old sewer lines, and extreme weather—filter down to everyday issues for homeowners. In Houston and beyond, the pipes and drains built generations ago are cracking under today’s climate. When a city water main bursts or a sewer backs up, it’s not just a municipal headache; it can mean flooding yards, moisture seeping into basements (or crawl spaces), spiking indoor humidity, and wrecked AC systems. In this article, I’ll show how these large-scale challenges touch your home, and I’ll share practical steps you can take to protect your house (and your wallet) from drainage headaches, moldy air, and plumbing nightmares. I’ll also highlight what extreme Texas weather – from scorching droughts to flash floods – has to do with the pipes in your neighborhood.

Aging Pipes and Your Home

Every day I work on air conditioners and drains, I remember that many Texas water and sewer lines are antiques. The water main that broke in Odessa in 2022 and left that city nearly parched? It was nearly 60 years old. Statewide, much of the underground network is 50+ years old – past its “designed lifespan”. In Houston, officials admit old “archaic materials” meant to last ~50 years have now far exceeded that mark. So pipes leak. They crack. They rust.

Consider this: by one estimate Texas’s biggest cities lost roughly 88 billion gallons of water in 2023 alone due to leaky old mains. In fact, Houston’s tap water loss was a staggering 31.8 billion gallons that year, and even medium-sized San Antonio lost nearly 20 billion gallons. That’s water worth millions of dollars gone down cracks under our streets.

What does this mean for you as a homeowner? It means your city’s wells and reservoirs are under pressure, and your water bill might keep creeping up. It also means that on dry hot days, drought-stressed pipes may suddenly give way, sending geysers onto roads or starving homes of pressure. For example, during Houston’s recent droughts, dry clay soils pulled apart old pipe joints and then turned roads into fountains when the rains finally came. I’ve driven through Houston neighborhoods and seen lawn-sized puddles — even without any rain nearby. That’s underground water mains spraying through cracks. As one engineer noted, our streets can become “a stage for Old Faithful” thanks to these failing lines.

Even if a main doesn’t burst, aging pipes can slowly affect your home. Low water pressure or odd smells could hint at leaks or decay upstream. Rusty old service lines can tinge your water red or give it a metallic taste. And let’s not forget lead: a national report found 5.5–7.1 million American homes still get water through lead service lines, affecting 15–22 million people, with billions needed to replace them. While Texas has worked to replace lead lines, older neighborhoods (in San Antonio, Dallas or Austin) may still have them lurking. If you live in a house built before 1986, consider having a plumber inspect your service line – it might have lead solder or pipe.

In practical terms, if you catch your faucet water looking rusty, or if you’ve had “boil water” or contamination notices (as many Texas towns did during Harvey’s floods and other events), don’t ignore it. Flush taps after breaks, filter your drinking water, and ask the city about pipe replacement plans. Many utilities now offer information on line materials. Taking action early (such as replacing a corroded section near your house) can save you from a complete outage or a health scare.

Most of Texas’ water mains lie buried beneath streets and yards. Fixing them often means big digs and new pipes. I’ve guided homeowners through these projects – it isn’t glamorous, but it stops leaks. When crews replace an old main (as in this photo of a utility trench), they often swap in plastic (HDPE/PVC) lines that should last over 100 years. Out with the corroded metal, in with resilient materials. If you see flags or digging crews in your area, ask your city what they’re doing. It might be a main replacement project – a sign that decades-old pipes are finally getting updated.

Stormwater, Sewers, and Your Yard

Texas weather is wild. One day your street is bone dry and cracked, the next a storm dumps inches of rain in an hour. That swings moisture in clay soils like a pendulum: expanding when wet, shrinking when dry. This cycle can do two things to your house. First, drainage problems. When heavy rains come, old storm drains and sewers can be overwhelmed. Water may back up into yards, around foundations, or even into basements. If your lot isn’t graded properly or if gutters are clogged, you can end up with standing water next to the house. I’ve seen newly renovated homes in Houston end up with water stains on drywall because the yard sloped the wrong way. A recent report noted people even drive through puddles on sunny days because of hidden pipe leaks!. Believe it or not, that could lead to soggy yards at home after the next downpour.

Second, structural stress. When drought dries out the soil, your foundation can sink and crack. Then when rain finally soaks the parched ground, it pops back up, causing upheaval or differential settlement. Those cracks you see in foundation or walls? They’re often tied to moisture swings, not just settling. In Dallas, for example, clay soil acts like a sponge – baking under the Texas sun then swollen after rains, which works your slab foundation over time. To mitigate this, I always advise clients to maintain consistent moisture around the home. In extreme heat, watering your foundation roots or using soaker hoses can prevent one part of the slab from drying too much. On the flip side, after storms, ensure gutters and drains carry water away from your house. Downspouts should extend several feet from the wall; consider adding a rain barrel or French drain if you get pooling.

HVAC systems also feel the effect of moisture. High humidity and flooded ducts can foster mold and corrosion. One common issue I see in humid Houston summers is clogged AC condensate lines. The AC removes water from the air (condensation) and drains it outside via a little PVC pipe. If that gets blocked by slime, leaves or mold, the unit can overflow – tripping a float switch or even leaking onto your ceiling. Yikes. Make it a habit to pour a little vinegar or bleach down the drain line every year to keep it clear. And check your condensation pan under the indoor unit each spring. A clean, functioning drain keeps that dampness out of your crawlspace and walls.

Inside Your Home: Humidity, AC, and Plumbing

Speaking of air conditioners, let’s talk climate control. Texas summers are hot and muggy. I often tell clients, “ACs here don’t just cool your air – they dehumidify it.” Your HVAC system is constantly pulling moisture out of the house, and that’s critical for comfort and mold prevention. But when city water leaks or a bad downspout floods into your slab, that extra moisture load can overwhelm your AC. You’ll notice it: your AC runs longer, your energy bill spikes, and your home feels clammy. In San Antonio or Houston, we have to combat 70%-plus relative humidity; a well-tuned AC coil and clean filter are your first defense.

In practical terms, maintenance matters. Change filters monthly (especially in pollen season), and have an HVAC pro clean your evaporator coil annually. That coil is what the warm indoor air hits; a clean coil collects more condensation. Also, install (or test) a safety float switch in your condensate pan. If that pipe ever backs up, the switch will shut off the AC before water gushes everywhere. This small safety device has saved many ceilings and ruined carpets.

On the plumbing side: I’ve been called to houses where people flushed diapers or grease in drains, only to suffer horrific backups when the main line was already strained. In Houston alone, 70% of sewer spills are caused by wipes, oils or grease clogging pipes. As a Texan homeowner, you can help by never flushing wipes (even “flushable” ones), and by scraping grease into the trash instead of down the sink. This simple habit goes a long way. If you have trees older than your house, consider hiring a plumber to video-inspect your sewer lateral (the pipe from house to street). Tree roots love to invade old clay or concrete pipes. A small crack can let roots in, eventually blocking the flow and causing toilet backups.

Additionally, consider installing a backwater prevention valve on your sewer line if your home is on a slope or has a history of overflows. It’s a mechanical flap in the main line that lets sewage out but not back in. If the city system overflows during a hurricane flood (remember Harvey’s 31 million gallons spilled?), this valve could keep that river of sewage from coming back into your home’s pipes.

Keeping Your Well and Septic Healthy

Outside the cities, many Texans rely on private wells and septic systems. These are also threatened by aging or climate stress. Drought can drop your well pressure, while floods can contaminate the aquifer. If you use a well, test your water annually (local AgriLife extension often provides free tests after major floods). For septic tanks: have them pumped every 3-5 years, and never drive heavy equipment over drain fields (or they’ll collapse). If the ground around your septic seems wetter than usual, get it checked – broken distribution lines can flood your yard with untreated wastewater.

Extreme Events: Texas Weather vs. Home Infrastructure

Let’s talk extremes. Texas sees it all. Heatwaves, droughts, flash floods, even the occasional ice storm. After February 2021’s arctic blast, I replaced dozens of frozen-burst pipes in North Texas homes. That freeze wasn’t climate change, but it was a once-in-decades shock that tested our infrastructure. If a hard freeze is forecast, wrap your exterior pipes and open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air circulate.

On the flooding side: Hurricanes and big rainstorms hammer our systems. If you lived through Harvey or the Memorial Day floods, you know sewer manholes were literally ejecting waste into streets. In 2017, Houston’s sewage treatment plants were inoperable, and millions of gallons of raw sewage poured into neighborhoods. If heavy rain is imminent, try to avoid water-intensive activities (no laundry, wait on big showers) so your system isn’t overloaded. After a storm, don’t flush or drain (pool backwash, etc.) if officials warn of boil-water notices or sewage advisories.

From a preventive angle, installing flood alarms or smart water shutoff valves can help. If a pipe bursts while you’re away, a shutoff valve can stop the leak immediately. And if you have an attached garage, use those door sweeps (they keep out drafts in winter, but they also help block floodwater from rushing in).

Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio: What’s Happening Locally

To make this real, let’s ground it in local examples. In Houston, water districts report a surge in main breaks since the 2023 drought. Officials say our region’s coastal clay soils contracted during the dry spells, opening up joints in the pipe. Then when rain returned, those pipes snapped. Houston even had a public works alert in mid-2023: “We will continue to pursue funding to replace aging mains,” they admitted after losing 9+ billion gallons early in the year.

In Dallas/Fort Worth, the soil swings are just as harsh. North Texas has expansive clay that can shrink so much that entire sidewalks sink. When it rains, that same soil heaves up. Foundation repair companies here preach watering the foundation; I’ve added that to my checklist for clients. Dallas lost 17.6B gallons of treated water in 2023, often blamed on outdated mains. My Dallas clients sometimes tell me their water pressure plummets during droughts, a sign their home’s service line may be cracking.

Austin’s water loss was smaller (around 7.1B gallons) but still growing. More people means old mains get new demand. A plumber friend near San Marcos noted more call-outs for faucet pinhole leaks—tiny rust holes in copper pipes—likely because our spring has hard water and the lines are nearly 30 years old. If you have a house that old with original plumbing, it might be time to inspect or re-pipe vulnerable sections (like beneath sinks or behind toilets).

San Antonio lost about 19.5B gallons last year, and the city is pushing conservation plans. The Alamo City’s water utility even lamented that the state is “not likely” to fund fixes, so they’re asking residents to tighten belts. If you’re in SA, you might see more frequent water restrictions during summer. In that climate, I always suggest Texas homeowners get a smart irrigation controller so you don’t waste the little rain we get – the city and your wallet will thank you. Also, watch out for algae in pools or pans if your water supply quality dips; change filters more often.

Practical Steps and Preventive Maintenance

You can’t overhaul a city’s mains on your own, but you can take steps that help your home weather these stresses. Here’s my home-maintenance checklist for Texas homeowners:

• Grade your yard and check drains: Ensure rain flows away from your foundation. Clean gutters and downspouts every fall (yes, even in Texas!). Consider installing a rain barrel or building a rain garden to divert excess water.

• Maintain your HVAC: Change filters monthly in cooling season. Flush the condensate line once a year (a cup of vinegar down the drain hole is an old HVAC pro trick). If your AC is old, install a secondary drain pan with a float switch under it – it catches leaks from the primary pan. A well-maintained AC not only saves energy but also protects against indoor mold and structural rot from leaks.

• Watch what goes down the drain: Don’t pour fats, oils or grease (FOG) down kitchen sinks. Use a grease-catching bucket. Never flush wipes, even if the label says “flushable.” Use mesh sink strainers to catch hair. These simple habits cut down the risk of a sewer clog that could overflow into your yard or basement.

• Inspect plumbing and septic: If your house is older than 20 years, have a plumber do an annual check-up. They’ll look for small leaks, test pressure, and may run a camera through your sewer lateral if it hasn’t been done in 5–10 years. For rural homes, pump out the septic tank (and test well water) on schedule. Septic drain fields can become waterlogged, especially after floods, so watch for soggy patches or sewage smells.

• Prepare for drought: Keep some water stored for emergencies (at least a few gallons per person). If you water a yard or foundation in dry months, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses on a timer to be consistent (as odd as it sounds, watering your yard can actually protect your house from shifting soil). Also, insulate exposed pipes to prevent heat stress cracks or rare freezes.

• Talk to neighbors and city: If your block has frequent breaks or if you constantly hear a fire hydrant hissing at night, form a neighborhood group to petition for upgrades. Local municipals often hear loudest from residents. Also, pay attention to public works announcements: sometimes “emergency repairs” of water mains cause your water to be shut off for maintenance.

Climate Change and the Road Ahead

Climate change isn’t just a buzzword here; we see it in our utility bills and flooded streets. We’ve had more massive downpours in recent years, as scientists predicted. This means our sewers and stormwater systems need huge upgrades. Texas’ reservoirs are shrinking (the summer 2023 record heat left Falcon Lake at 9% capacity), and that adds pressure on groundwater and on treating what water we do have. For homeowners, this can translate to stricter watering rules, higher water rates, and even more maintenance (if reservoirs dip, your local plant might start mixing in more groundwater, which can be harder on pipes and appliances).

Luckily, Texas agencies have begun funding efforts to fix these problems (the $1 billion Texas Water Fund passed in 2023 was a start). But locally, we also need smart building: green stormwater projects, rain gardens, and more robust home infrastructure. That means, for example, checking that your sewer cleanouts are properly capped so floodwaters can’t inject contaminated water into your system.

In short, expect more extremes: hotter summers, possibly worse droughts, and intense rains. Your home’s systems will bear the brunt. By staying informed about city plans, and by taking the home-level measures I’ve described, you can be part of the solution – and prevent many headaches.

Call to Action: Inspect, Prepare, Partner

You don’t have to tackle this alone. If you notice something amiss – a smell of sewage when it rains, persistent water pressure drops, or an AC that just won’t keep up with humidity – it’s time to call professionals. Schedule a plumbing inspection or ask a qualified electrician about a standby generator for your sump pump. Have a local HVAC tech evaluate your ductwork and drains. In volatile Texas weather, a little preparation goes a long way.

Finally, stay alert to city communications. Sign up for your water utility’s alerts or local news updates on boil-water notices and construction projects. Get to know your neighbors in Houston’s northeast suburbs, or down in Buda, Austin. We’re all in this together – after all, the water and sewer lines under our streets connect us.

By keeping your own home safe and sharing tips, Texans can build resilience from the ground up. The infrastructure crisis is real, but with preventive maintenance and smart planning we can lessen its bite. Remember: when it comes to aging pipes and stormy weather, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Sources: Aging Texas water mains and lead line statistics, city water loss audits, Houston-specific infrastructure reports, and expert guidance on soil and climate impacts have informed this article. These insights, combined with two decades of hands-on experience, inform my advice to Texas homeowners on staying dry, cool, and safe despite the challenges below ground.