In September, a fire at a Westlake pump station knocked out power. The Town asked the City of Keller for help, and that is how Westlake avoided a boil-water notice. Most homeowners never heard about it. That near-miss is now the Town's main argument for a 130-foot elevated water tank on a hilltop north of the Stagecoach Hills subdivision along Roanoke Road.
Westlake's water system needs a tank at a specific height, and only one acquirable piece of ground in town meets it. Size, cost, timing and financing are all still open. For anyone buying near Roanoke Road, the tower's location is a real detail of the transaction.
Five hours, one pipe, one borrowed bowl
In its October 28, 2026 explainer, the Town lays out how its water system works today:
- Westlake buys its water from Fort Worth through a single primary connection.
- Its only elevated storage is the Knox tank, which it shares with Keller. Westlake owns the one-million-gallon inner bowl, and Keller owns the 1.5-million-gallon bowl around it.
- That shared tank has not been taken out of service for maintenance in more than 25 years.
- According to Public Works Director Kyle Flanagan, the Town has about five hours of water supply at average use and about three hours at peak demand.
Those hours are what the Town has to work with when a pump fails or the main supply line has a problem. The Town says a second elevated tank would more than double the time available to fix a pump-station problem. Westlake also can't drain its own bowl for maintenance without losing the only elevated storage it has. That helps explain why a tank in continuous service since before many of today's homes were built has never come down for work.
Demand is growing on top of this. In a May 2026 council briefing, staff projected that maximum-day water demand would double in less than ten years. At the October 20, 2026 meeting, council heard a development update covering 313 permits valued at $102.5 million, including 25 new single-family homes and five commercial permits. Each of those connects to the same single supply line.
The Town calls the tower the first of three steps. A second pump station and a second Fort Worth connection have already been identified.
Why the hill picks itself
Engineering firm Freese and Nichols ran the water-system modeling study behind the plan. A water tower only works if its water sits at the right height for the system's existing pressure. The Town's explainer lists the requirements:
- The tank must reach about 130 feet to match the elevation of the existing Knox tank.
- To hold 1.5 million gallons within construction height limits, the ground has to sit between 730 and 750 feet above sea level.
- The site must be near a major water line and, preferably, near the pump station.
- The land has to be available. Hillwood owns the proposed hilltop and would convey it to the Town.
A twenty-foot elevation band rules out most of Westlake. According to the Town, sites at lower elevations would need more extensive and expensive changes to the water system. Town staff also worked with the engineers and the landowner on an alternative site that residents suggested. That land was already slated for another project. The Town says plainly that it would prefer another location, but that this is "the only site in Town that meets the elevation requirements, is acquirable, and is the least intrusive to residents."
The chosen hill sits beside a private runway. AirNav, using FAA records, lists Stage Coach Hills Airport under identifier 4TX2 as a private-use field that requires permission to use. According to the Town, Stagecoach Hills residents asked how close the tower would be to their airstrip and whether it raises aviation-safety concerns. In response, the Town consulted the Federal Aviation Administration, pulled the airport's FAA filings and chart maps, reviewed recorded flight patterns, and checked sightline and instrument-landing requirements. It has committed to further coordination as planning continues.
What has moved since May
Between the May 19 council recap and the October records, the stated tank size and cost estimate shifted, and the zoning options were spelled out:
| Item | May 19, 2026 | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Tank size | 1 million gallons | 1 million gallons in the Oct 20 recap; 1.5 million gallons of storage required in the Oct 28 explainer |
| Construction cost estimate | $8 million to $9 million | $8 million to $10 million |
| Height | About 130 feet | About 130 feet |
| Build time | About 18 months | Not restated |
| Engineering | Teague Nall and Perkins, contract not to exceed $800,000, Resolution 26-11 | Residents asked council to cancel or redirect further work under the contract |
| Zoning | Not addressed | Either a text amendment to an existing Planned Development district or a rezoning to the Government Use district |
The zoning row is the one to follow. In its explainer, the Town says either route would give added flexibility on height, setbacks and aesthetic considerations. Those standards decide how the structure sits next to the homes around it.
The October 20 council recap records residents asking council to stop or redirect the engineering work and its funding. The Town says it has met with residents twice about the tower's appearance, construction and long-term operation. Northeast News covered the plan using the Town's figures, including the shared Knox tank and the September pump-station fire.
Some residents have also asked whether the tower is connected to the proposed data center in Westlake. The Town says it is not. According to the Town, the storage need was identified years ago through engineering studies and long-term planning, and the tower is not being built to serve the data center. Once built, the tank would carry the Town and Westlake Academy logos.
Who pays, and when
For a buyer comparing carrying costs across towns, the financing matters more than the engineering. Here is what the Town's budget documents say about the period from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027:
- Rates: According to the Town's September 30, 2026 budget review, no increases to water and sewer bills are planned this fiscal year. The Utility Fund is budgeted at $8,775,621.
- Debt: The FY2027 proposed budget says the Town issued no debt in FY2026. It may issue debt toward the end of FY2027, depending on how planning for the second water tower progresses.
- Existing obligations: As of October 1, 2026, the Town has $49.07 million outstanding across 11 issuances, with $4,727,128 budgeted for debt service this fiscal year.
- Engineering so far: The design contract is funded from the 2025 bond fund. The Town's Series 2025 certificates of obligation provided $9.5 million for the Westlake Academy Arts and Sciences expansion and various utility projects.
According to the same budget review, the Town has been building reserves over the last three years to partially cash-fund future capital projects and limit how much new debt it needs. Construction depends on the zoning outcome, and borrowing depends on construction. The Town's own budget ties the timing of new debt to the tower's planning progress, so the tower is the main variable in how the water system's costs develop after this fiscal year.
For a buyer looking near Roanoke Road
The proposed site, as described in the May council recap, is north of the Stagecoach Hills subdivision along Roanoke Road. A future 130-foot structure is a fact about that area, and you can check it during due diligence:
- Locate the property relative to the site. Compare the parcel you are considering with the Town's description of the site. Views and sightlines from that hill are something to look at in person.
- Follow the zoning case. Height, setback and aesthetic standards will come through either a Planned Development amendment or a Government Use rezoning. Agendas and recaps are published on the Town's News Flash page, and budget documents are on the Finance page.
- Plan for an 18-month build. The May estimate was about 18 months of construction once work begins. Construction traffic and staging on Roanoke Road are worth considering if a closing or move-in date falls inside that window.
- Confirm the water provider for the address. The Town's financial reporting describes its Utility Fund as providing water and sewer to all residences and businesses within the Town. For a specific property, the Public Utility Commission of Texas offers a CCN Viewer that looks up the retail water and sewer provider by address.
Questions buyers raise
Does the tower change my water bill this year? The Town's FY2027 budget review says no water or sewer rate increases are planned for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027.
Is the location final? Hillwood would convey the site to the Town, and the zoning route is still to be decided between a PD amendment and a Government Use rezoning. The Town calls it the only site that meets the elevation requirements and can be acquired.
Does the tower fix the single-supply issue? It adds storage time. The second pump station and second Fort Worth connection are the projects aimed at reducing reliance on one supply line.
This post is general information about public records. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, so please confirm how zoning or municipal debt affects a specific property with the appropriate professional.
If a home near Roanoke Road or Stagecoach Hills is on your list, Richard Noon can help you set the tower's zoning timeline against your contract dates and get the right questions answered before your option period ends. Let's Connect.
