by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“A deal is a deal,” Sewanee Utility District customer Marvin Pate insisted at the May 19 SUD Board of Commissioners meeting. Pate objected to the $8 monthly grinder pump fee SUD began levying on grinder pump customers in January of 2025 to offset the high cost of maintaining and replacing the pumps. SUD manager Ben Beavers said the cost of the pumps had doubled. SUD spent $35,000 on grinder pumps in 2024 when the utility initiated the fee, and Beavers anticipates the cost this year to be $60,000-$100,000. Since the fee was imposed, SUD customer Ron Summers appeared twice before the board objecting. As did Summers, Pate maintained in 2000 when he paid to have the pump installed, he was told by then SUD manager Kevin Gilliam SUD would assume ownership of the pump, as well as all related expenses going forward.

“I don’t doubt either one of you,” said SUD Board President Charlie Smith. Beavers concurred, “I don’t doubt you were told that.”

Pate offered additional historical context to the discussion. In 2000, when Pate built a home on Hat Rock Road, University rules required he connect to public sewer, a policy implemented by Tom Kepple, former Vice President for Business and Community Relations. I.e., no more septic tank sewage treatment systems on the Domain. Connecting to public sewer was mandatory for all new construction, and for existing homes, connecting to public sewer was mandatory if the property changed hands. When gravity flow was insufficient to move sewage through the lines, customers were required to pay for the purchase and installation of a grinder pump to facilitate the flow.

In response to questions by the Messenger, Beavers offered further insight on background. According to Beavers, even before the University required all Domain residents to connect to public sewer, sewer customers had to purchase and pay for installation of a pump when a pump was needed. Cost for maintenance fell to the customer, but local contractors were reluctant to service the pumps. When the pumps failed and sewage spills occurred, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation stepped in and held SUD accountable as the local water-sewer authority. SUD began servicing the pumps even before the requirement to connect to public sewer came into play.

Neither Pate or Summers have anything in writing to support their claim. Likewise, there is no documentation in SUD records.

“If the board agreed, there would have been evidence,” said Commissioner Donnie McBee.

“Just because it’s not in writing, that doesn’t make it not a deal in Sewanee,” Pate said. “It’s the small-town Southern way of doing things.” Pate pointed out when he assumed the role Director of Physical Plant Services at the University in the 1990s, there was no purchase order system.

Summers said three or four years ago his pump failed and SUD replaced it. “I never got a bill. Why did I get a pump at no cost if that wasn’t the policy?” Summers asked.

Pate argued since SUD assumed ownership of the pumps, the pumps were part of overall SUD infrastructure and all costs related to them should be spread among all customers, as was the case with other infrastructure costs.

Smith noted SUD was currently conducting a rate study. “The rate study may change the way we approach charges for services.”

SUD has 700 sewer customers, 200 with grinder pumps. Spreading the cost among all SUD sewer customers would result in each having a $3 monthly fee. No one on the SUD board has a sewer connection requiring a grinder pump.

“I’m torn,” conceded SUD Commissioner Amanda Bailey. “A deal is a deal. But I don’t want to pay.”

In other business the board approved water service to the 14-lot Oaks residential development in Deep Woods. The developer will pay for all costs related to the line extension, and after one year, SUD will assume ownership. All lots will be charged a $5 monthly dry tap fee until water service and regular billing begins.

Smith observed potential customers further down Deep Woods Road might want to pay for extending the service line further. McBee said 14 people wanted taps. “The line is about 40 percent of the way there,” Beavers said.

The board also approved extending the contract with LTS Construction from May 1 to Aug. 7 to allow LTS to continue sewer rehabilitation work. Beavers applied for and received permission to redirect unused American Rescue Plan Act funds from the Lead and Copper Survey to the Sewer Rehabilitation project.

Accountant Buddy Petty, principal for the firm RateStudies, has resumed work on the SUD rate study. Petty paused working on the study to allow the auditor to determine if figures logged in the wrong categories by the software required a correction to the audit. All totals were accurate. The auditor said updating the audit was not necessary. Beavers will supply Petty with data showing corrected category entries.

Updating the board on drought concerns, Beavers said March rainfall was 3.36 inches, 1.5-2 inches below normal. “We usually get a good 5 inches. Ten inches for the year is also low. It’s been dry,” Beavers acknowledged. “We’re rated abnormally dry, and we’re surrounded by exceptionally dry, verging on official drought. Unfortunately, I expect it’s not going to get a whole lot better. We’re preparing for that, making sure all meters are working. We only have two small leaks we know of.” Regional water utility managers will begin meeting weekly to assess conditions.