by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“When the lift station dies, nobody on the west side of the interstate has sewer. It will be backing up in the sinks,” said Alderman Dan Sargent at the Jan. 27 Monteagle Council meeting in support of a subsequent vote to approve a task order calling for replacing the aging sewage pump station behind the Waffle House. The council also voted to raise water and sewer rates, the costly lift station project among the driving factors.

Prior to the vote approving moving forward with the lift-station project, the board discussed LJA’s $239,950 fee for engineering services and weighed the feasibility of consulting other firms about what they would charge. Monteagle has also contracted with St. John’s Engineering, but Travis Wilson with LJA has served as Monteagle’s consultant since November of 2020. Mayor Greg Maloof advised against “switching horses mid race.” The board’s overriding sentiment was that LJA had provided good services, but going forward it would be wise to ask LJA for specs on a project and put it out for bid. “That’s what free enterprise is for,” said Vice Mayor Nate Wilson.

Highlighting the urgency of the project, Engineer Wilson explained the aging lift station, one of Monteagle’s two main lift stations, “operated at 50 percent capacity in dry weather and near 100 percent capacity when everyone was using the system.” There was a risk of the smaller lift station in the vicinity of the Piggly Wiggly overwhelming the Waffle House station, even without the proposed Hampton Inn adding to the load. Wilson recommended applying for a low interest State Revolving Fund loan spread over a 20-year repayment schedule to fund the project estimated to cost of over $1 million. Wilson stressed timeliness with a February deadline for SRF loan applications and 40-60 weeks lead time from bidding the project until the equipment was ready to install. Monteagle will need to fund the engineering portion of the project from capital reserves.

Providing an overview of Monteagle’s critical needs, Wilson said only 10 percent of the sewer system had been rehabilitated since it was created 50 years ago. The Inflow and Infiltration rehabilitation underway would mitigate only a portion of the groundwater entering the sanitary sewer system, putting strain on the wastewater treatment plant. The plant was already under a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation consent order for exceeding phosphorus limits. Sampling was underway to determine the source. The water plant was under a consent order for testing issues.

Monteagle recently conducted a water and sewer rate study which showed the current rates charged were not adequate to cover the cost of rehabilitating and replacing water and wastewater treatment facilities. “There is constant repair and updating of equipment and machinery which necessitates the rate increase,” said Maloof.

Monteagle previously increased water and sewer rates in January 2024 and implemented a $5 per customer monthly service fee. The new rates adopted at the Jan. 27, 2025, meeting will go into effect March 1. For residential customers inside the city limit, the rate for the first 1,999 gallons is $25.10 for water and $25.14 for sewer; for commercial customers the rate for the first 1,999 gallons is $30.28 for water and $37.88 for sewer. For residential customers outside the city limits, the rate for the first 1,999 gallons is $25.72 for water and $38.41 for sewer; for commercial customers, the rate for the first 1,999 gallons is $38.70 for water and $58.06 for sewer. The rates change for usage above 1,999 gallons. Contact Monteagle City Hall for details.