SUD Board Reviews Water Loss; Hears Request for Adjustment

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the May 27 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, the board asked Manager Ben Beavers about old supply lines being a possible cause of unaccounted-for water loss. The board also heard an appeal from a customer who received an unusually high bill due to a water leak.

Unaccounted-for water loss is the difference between water produced at the water plant and water recorded on customer meters. SUD’s unaccounted- for water loss, 27 percent, is slightly lower than last year, although still a cause for concern. Commissioner Art Hanson speculated that supply lines no longer in use could be the source of undetected leaks if the old lines were uncapped and under pressure at the junction with in-use lines.

Beavers acknowledged old supply lines as a possible source of water loss, but said significant leaks would be visible as groundwater or result in marshy areas unless the water ran into a stream bed.

Beavers said SUD had maps dating back to 1953 showing the location of all the supply lines in use at that time, as well as maps from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s showing the location of supply lines. However, Beavers said, until recently, no systematic records were kept indicating when lines were taken out of service and whether or not the lines were capped. SUD now caps all lines taken out of service and records their location. Beavers plans to investigate out-of-use lines as a possible cause of water loss when the meter replacement program is complete. (SUD hopes its ongoing program of replacing customer meters will help reduce unaccounted-for water loss, since old meters typically give a false low reading.)

A SUD customer whose last water bill was $1,186 more than normal asked the board to reduce the amount owed. The customer’s meter showed 60,000 gallons more water used than normal usage. The excessive use was due to a malfunctioning toilet. The customer, a part-time resident, was out of town and unaware of the problem. SUD discovered the excessive use when reading the meter and shut off the water to the residence on May 5.

SUD Board President Cliff Huffman said the board would “need to rewrite the policy” to authorize an adjustment to the customer’s bill. According to SUD’s bill adjustment policy for water leaks, leaks between the meter and the foundation of a home qualify for a 50 percent bill reduction, but the policy does not provide for bill adjustment for leaks within the residence.

Beavers said SUD could provide relief in the form of “payments for as long as you need with no interest and no penalty.”

Offering especially pertinent advice to SUD customers who plan to go on vacation in the coming months, commissioner Karen Singer said, “When you leave town, we recommend you turn off your water.”

The SUD board will not meet in June. The next regular business meeting is scheduled for July 8.