Construction began on the aqueduct system in 1963 and was completed in 1966. From Lake Meredith, an aqueduct system transports water to the eleven member cities of the Authority. Its total length of 322 miles makes it one of the major aqueducts of the United States. Mostly of concrete pipe, in diameters of 96 inches down to 8 inches, the aqueduct can deliver up to 118 million gallons daily to the cities. The Main Aqueduct extends from the Lake south through Amarillo and Lubbock to Lamesa. Four pumping plants lift the water about 800 feet to reach Amarillo. From there the water flows by gravity through the rest of the Main Aqueduct.

One branch line called the East Aqueduct serves Borger and Pampa with a combination of gravity and pumped flow. A second branch, the Southwest Aqueduct, goes west from Lubbock to Levelland and then south to Brownfield. Pumping is required from Lubbock to Levelland, and the water flows by gravity from Levelland to Brownfield.

Regulating reservoirs located at Amarillo, Lubbock, and Borger allow the cities to receive water even when the pumping plants are shut off. Cities are responsible for the treatment of the water. Amarillo, Borger, Pampa, and Plainview have individual treatment plants. A joint plant operated by Lubbock treats all of the water for the seven southern cities.

Since beginning operation in 1968, the Authority has supplied up to 70 percent of the total water used by the member cities. Each year between 72,000 and 75,000 acre-feet (about 24 billion gallons) of water is moved from Lake Meredith to the cities, forming a major resource for half a million citizens of the eleven cities.

Pumping Plant 1 (5 units @ 1,750 hp each) - 82,000 gallons per minute total capacity