dead right, eminent domain.
It is cheaper to steal 30 feet of front yard space and 50 acres or so in our area than dig up the road or choose an alternate route.
They even had the balls to come to the meeting and claim it was just a "proposal". In this case the "proposal" had been on the table for years without letting anybody else know about it.

The best part is that they have to do this because the current water supplier (City of Round Rock) is refusing to extend the current agreement so they have to lay more pipe of their own.

Its no wonder I have no faith in elected officials.

[edited to correct stupid typos]