Photo: Darrylpearson · CC BY-SA 4.0Living in McDade, TX: what to set up and who to call
McDade has no town government of its own, so Bastrop County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend McDade Independent School District. The Bastrop County Wcid 1 water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024.
I’m new in town
What to set up in McDade, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in McDade.
Power comes from Bluebonnet Electric Coop
Bluebonnet Electric Coop (Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of McDade. Its homes paid an average of 11.6¢ per kWh in 2025, about $144 a month (its average across Texas).
Start or move service: bluebonnetelectric.coop · (888) 622-2583
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Bastrop County Wcid 1 water system
The Bastrop County Wcid 1 water system supplies McDade: about 87% of residents live in its service area. About 10% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water (EPA lists Aqua WSC as seller) and serves 696 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. 78% of the 5,327 systems serving 501–1,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2024–Dec 2026, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 1.3 ppb. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. TX0110014.
8 home internet providers serve McDade
87% of 315 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 1% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 82% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Rise Broadband | Fixed wireless | 97% | 25/5 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 85% | 300/20 |
| SOS Communications | Fixed wireless | 83% | 100/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 12% | 25/3 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 11% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have McDade’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in McDade.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
McDade is in McDade Independent School District.
DSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
McDade is unincorporated, so Bastrop County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Apr 2018; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
McDade is in ZIP code 78650
ZIP codes where McDade residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of McDade | ZIP’s residents in McDade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78650 | Mc Dade, TX | 100% | 38% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in McDade
Who supplies McDade’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Bastrop County Wcid 1 water system (EPA ID TX0110014). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2024–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in McDade?
Bluebonnet Electric Coop (Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 11.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve McDade?
Spectrum, Rise Broadband, Verizon, SOS Communications, AT&T, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in McDade?
78650. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is McDade in?
McDade Independent School District.
How do I register to vote in McDade?
Texas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Bastrop County Early Voting Clerk. Check your registration at teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.