AUSTIN, Texas — After a ruptured pipeline near Houston led to a massive fire, you may be wondering how many pipelines stretch across the Austin area.
Not everyone is aware that pipelines run near their home or neighborhood, let alone what those pipelines are carrying.
Texas is home to nearly 485,000 miles of pipes, which fall under the Texas Railroad Commission to regulate and inspect. Pipeline companies also use "pigs" to look for flaws and weaknesses.
This mapping tool lets you see if there's a pipeline running through your neighborhood. You can click here, then use the visibility tab to select "pipelines" and zoom in to your desired location, or select by counties.
Are there pipelines in Austin?
The map shows a majority of the city's pipelines are east of Interstate 35, where the land is on the flatter side, with one pipeline extending directly under the University of Texas at Austin's campus. Most of them transmit natural gas.
Around the Greater Austin area, the map shows pipelines running into Cedar Park, east of Pflugerville, north of Round Rock, and throughout portions of Kyle and Buda, and between Hutto and Taylor.
The railroad commission tracks pipeline breaks, which showed more than 10,000 incidents across Texas in 2023. However, most issues were caused by utility or road contractors digging and puncturing a gas line.
