Bell County's drinking water comes from two Army Corps reservoirs

Bell County's city-water story starts with two surface reservoirs: Lake Belton on the Leon River and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir on the Lampasas River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says both lakes help with flood damage reduction and water supply.

Bell County WCID No. 1 says it serves more than 250,000 people and can treat and deliver over 107 million gallons a day. Its customers include Fort Cavazos, Killeen, Harker Heights, Belton, Copperas Cove, Nolanville's WCID No. 3, 439 Water Supply Corporation, and BLORA.

Drought can make the reservoirs feel less like a map feature and more like a household issue. Watch your city or WCID for drought stages, and use TWDB or Water Data for Texas when you need a dated lake-level check.