by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Aug. 15 meeting, Sewanee Utility District Manager Ben Beavers updated the board of commissioners on the $2 million American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant, and SUD’s recent receipt of almost $51,000 as reimbursement for purchase of a hydro-excavator. In other business, the board reviewed SUD’s cybersecurity plan and approved the cybersecurity policy.

SUD paid $60,000 for the hydro-excavator. By the terms of the ARP grant administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, SUD pays 15 percent of grant funded projects with another 15 percent coming from Franklin County and the remainder coming from the ARP. SUD needed the hydro-excavator for other projects as well as those designated in the grant and purchased the machine before the funding was received. SUD identified four projects to undertake with the ARP funds: reducing Inflow and Infiltration of ground water into sewer lines; setting up a computerized asset management program (a grant requirement); detecting leaks in water service lines with zone meters and linking zone meter data to the computerized asset management system to identify what zone the leak is in; and inventorying service lines for lead components to comply with federal regulations by the 2024 deadline. The board approved the slate of engineering firms Beavers recommended as qualifying to bid on the zone meter portion of the project.

Beavers predicted for the year SUD would be over budget on both expenses (12 percent) and unbudgeted revenue (24 percent) mostly from tap fees. “We’re still recovering from the highway project [narrowing 41A],” he said, “but we have plenty of money to cover our obligations for the grants.” Further down the road, SUD will be required to replace the estimated 45,000-50,000 feet of cast iron lines with lead fitting, estimated cost $600,000.

“A customer on Tennessee Avenue complained about rust,” Commissioner Clay Yeatman said. Beavers confirmed that location was among those with aging cast iron pipes.

In the discussion about cybersecurity, Beavers distinguished between SUD’s cybersecurity plan and cybersecurity policy. “The plan is the technical part, how we protect what we have like our servers and our SCADA system,” Beavers said. He stressed the computer at the water plant was not connected to the internet. The only thing going over the internet was readings such as flow and tank levels, but interference with the data receipt would not cause system failure. “If someone took a hammer to the water plant computer, we could still run the water plant manually,” Beavers observed. The cybersecurity policy covers employee use of the internet and related cybersecurity issues. By the policy, employees are not allowed to use SUD computers for personal business. “We continue to have issues with employees getting online,” Beavers acknowledged. Commissioner Doug Cameron pointed out employees could use their cellphones for personal business during breaks.

The SUD board will meet next Sept. 26, rather than the third Tuesday. Likewise, the board will meet Oct. 10, rather than the third Tuesday.