by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the May 19 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD Manager Ben Beavers told the board that 8 percent of the new meters installed to facilitate computerized meter reading had failed. Beavers also updated the board on the plans to install a pressure-boosting station to increase water pressure in the Midway community.
SUD began installing new meters system-wide last August, in conjunction with the upgrade to automated meter-reading technology. Beavers said the manufacturer recently acknowledged some of the meters had faulty radio transmitters. SUD has replaced 70 flawed meters so far. According to the manufacturer’s warranty, if the failure rate exceeds 5 percent, the company bears labor and fitting-related replacement costs, in addition to supplying replacement meters. Beavers will also request an extended warranty.
Updating the board on plans to install a pressure-boosting station to increase water pressure in Midway, Beavers said he had again encountered difficulty in acquiring the necessary easements. The plan called for the station to be located on Leaky Pond Road.
“We could move it up toward St. James Church,” Beavers said, “but six Midway residents would lose the benefit of the increased water pressure.” Moving the station in the other direction would result in problems with getting overhead electric power to the site, due to trees.
“The good news is the price of the pump and controls has dropped to $26,000,” Beavers said. This could make money available to explore other options like putting the power underground. SUD has $48,000 budgeted for the project.
The board reviewed the design plans for the trial wetlands slated for construction at the SUD wastewater treatment plant, in conjunction with a research project undertaken jointly by the University of the South and the University of Georgia. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has requested additional information from Golder and Associates, the engineering firm in charge of project design. The company is still working out flow and mechanical issues, Beavers said.
On May 19, the firm Sani-Tech began cleaning and video surveying SUD’s sewer lines for possible damage. Residents may observe Sani-Tech crews working in the community over the course of the next three weeks, Beavers said.
The next meeting of the SUD board is set for June 16, a week earlier than its normally scheduled date.
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