SUD Considers Water Loss Remedies

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the March 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD manager Ben Beavers reported that SUD’s unaccounted-for water loss continues to increase. A lengthy discussion followed about how to address the problem.

Unaccounted water loss is the difference between the amount of treated water SUD produces and the amount accounted for in metered sales. SUD’s water loss year-to-date is 28.3 percent and was 29.1 percent in April. The two causes of unaccounted-for water loss are inaccurate meters and supply line leaks. Beavers said the annual cost to SUD is $62,000, the cost of producing the leaked water plus the loss in revenue from meter inaccuracy.

In the 2013 budget, SUD committed funds to replace all customer meters. In 2012, SUD’s water loss was 33 million gallons. Beavers estimates replacing the meters will eliminate 5 million gallons of water loss annually, increasing revenue by $24,000.

The next step would be to install supply-line flow meters to locate line leaks, Beavers said. Metering all of the district’s supply lines would require 15–20 meters at a cost of $6,000 each. (Outlying areas could be monitored with seven meters, but the supply lines in town are looped, making the metering task more complex and costly.) The board discussed using the $50,000 budgeted for studies for purchase of supply-line flow meters. 

Commissioner Ken Smith asked about SUD’s contract with the University regarding Lake Dimmick. By the provisions of the contract negotiated after the 2007 drought, SUD pays the University $10,000 annually for emergency use, with an annual rate increase of 2 percent. SUD would also be required to pay a per-gallon rate for the water withdrawn. Several commissioners argued that SUD should pay an annual permission-to-use fee or pay for the water withdrawn, but not both. Smith said that SUD should contribute to maintenance of the lake, but $5,000 annually was adequate. The board voted to authorize Beavers to consult with SUD’s attorney about how to renegotiate the contract.

Reporting on the operation of the utility, Beavers said nearly 13 inches of rain fell in April in two rain events. During both, SUD experienced bypass incidents in the wastewater collection system. He said almost all systems in the state experienced bypass incidents in April, and most of the overflowed water was rainwater.

The next meeting of the SUD board is scheduled for June 25.