SUD Ready to Move on Midway Improvements

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer 

“We hope we can go with the original plan,” SUD manager Ben Beavers said, in discussing a pressure-boosting station for the Midway community at the March 24 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties. Beavers also updated the board on the high rate of meter failure for meters installed in conjunction with the automated meter reading (AMR) technology recently implemented by SUD.

Nearly three years ago, SUD set in motion plans to install a much-needed pressure-boosting station in the Midway community. Difficulty in acquiring the necessary easements stalled the project, but Beavers is now optimistic the project can go forward at the original site on Leaky Pond Road.

“We have the surveys, and the easements are drawn up,” Beavers said. Once the easements are signed, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has 30 days to grant approval. Installation will take a week.

SUD did not budget for the pressure boosting station in 2015; the estimated cost is $40,000. Beavers suggested unused funds in the Constructed Wetlands budget could be used for the project.

If SUD cannot acquire the necessary easements for the Leaky Pond Road site, the University is willing to discuss an easement, Beavers said. “We’re considering all options.”

Updating the board on the AMR technology recently installed by SUD, Beavers said the number of residential meters not “communicating” properly had reached 45, which is 25 more than last month. If as many meters fail next month, “we’ll have an issue with the [meter] company,” Beavers said. If the failure rate exceeds 5 percent, the company bears labor and fitting-related replacement costs, in addition to supplying replacement meters. The current failure rate is 3.5 percent.

The faulty meters were read manually, and customers received a revised bill. Customers have up to one year to make catch-up payments if needed, with no interest or late fees.

The SUD board meets next on April 28.