SUD Repairs Major Leak; Commits to Midway Pressure Boosting Station

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“Wetland plants were well established suggesting the water line in the Jackson Point Road area had been leaking a long time,” SUD manager Ben Beavers reported at the Oct. 25 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties. Former SUD commissioner and board president Cliff Huffman alerted SUD when he discovered the wetlands, Beavers said.

Repairing the 14,000 gallons per day leak will result in a dramatic decrease in unaccounted for water loss, Beavers emphasized. Not only was SUD not being paid for the water, producing that much water takes from 20-25 minutes per day. “SUD will also realize a savings in chemical and electricity costs,” Beavers said.

In another water supply issue, SUD commissioner Randall Henley said he’d received numerous phone calls asking why SUD had not addressed the low water pressure in the Midway community.

“This has been going on for years,” Henley said.

SUD’s 2016 budget calls for a pressure boosting station in Midway. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to increase the water pressure without the expense of the pressure boosting station,” Beavers said. When recent remedial work to St. Andrew’s-Sewanee water tank failed to correct the problem, he consulted with engineers who proposed raising the height of the tank, a solution just as costly at the pressure boosting station.

“Plans call for completing the Midway pressure boosting station before the end of the year,” Beavers said. “The only task remaining before we begin installation is getting the electrical easement signed.”

Beavers said the Midway project was temporarily delayed due to the pressing need to replace more than 400 feet of broken clay pipe sewer line in the Alto Road area, which allows rain water to flow into the collection system and cause sewage overflows. “The right of way has been cleared, and we’re ready to install the pipe,” Beavers said. SUD is also doing collection system repair on Depot Branch.

Discussing the 2017 capital improvements budget, Beavers said, once the Midway project and collection system work was completed, most of the critical capital improvement needs would be addressed. “We’ve been putting out brush fires. I want to move to more preventative stuff,” he said, “particularly leak detection.” He estimates a $100,000 capital improvements budget, compared to $200,000-$300,000 in past years.

Reporting on operations, Beavers said he declined the University’s request to fill its irrigation pond, “due to the drought conditions.” Water sales are below budget for 2016.

Commissioner Henley offered to serve as election coordinator. The SUD Board of Commissioners will have one open seat beginning in 2017. All SUD customers are eligible to serve as commissioner. Prospective candidates should contact Randal Henley via the SUD office (598-5611) or, alternately, submit a petition signed by 10 SUD customers by Jan. 4. Petitions are available at the SUD office. Voting begins on Jan. 5 and continues through the close of the business day on Jan. 24.

The SUD board meets next on Monday, Nov. 21.

2024 October
2024 September
2024 August
2024 July
2024 June
2024 May
2024 April
2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May