Published: May 14, 2009 02:21 pm      

Crab Orchard Utility District and City of Crossville to negotiate issues

The Crab Orchard Utility District and the city of Crossville want to be good neighbors to each other.

In that spirit, the two water providers agreed to enter negotiations to allow the city to serve the proposed Chestnut Hill industrial park and for Crab Orchard to install master meters to allow for a connection with the city's water system.

City Manager Ted Meadows said the city had about 275 acres available at the proposed Chestnut Hill industrial park.

"We would like to formalize your permission to run our utilities out to that property," Meadows said. "We have a lot of stimulus money available right now and one of the opportunities will be to get some funds to assist with that project."

The proposed industrial park, at the site of the former Dorton Landfill, lies inside the COUD service area, and the city needs the board's permission to run its own water and sewer lines to the location.

Smith said, "I would not have any problem at all with the city running water and serving that industrial park."

Smith noted the district had an abandoned eight-inch water line that could be of use to the city in the industrial park project.

"We had that in place before we rehabilitated and upgraded our line," Smith said.

General Manager Everett Bolin said the only time the line would be needed would be in an emergency situation, but even then it would take several days to clean and sanitize the line to be of use.

Smith moved to approve allowing the city to serve the park, seconded by Ed Harrison. The motion was approved. As part of the motion, Bolin was directed to negotiate use of the abandoned water line.

While there, Meadows noted the district's list of possible future water sources. He suggested adding another possibility — the city of Crossville.

"We have sufficient capacity and there is no reason you can't have us as a back up at any time,"

The city has the capacity to supply 7.5 million gallons of water a day, and currently uses about 3.7 million gallons a day.

Meadows said the city would provide the district water at the same rate it currently charges other utility districts of $2.67 per 1,000 gallons.

The two water systems were at one time connected, with a master meter installed to allow the district to receive city water when it was needed. That connection was severed in the mid- to late-1990s under the previous district management, Bolin told the Chronicle.

Smith said there was no reason the two districts shouldn't have a mutual aid agreement, allowing Crab Orchard to supply the city with water in an emergency situation, as well.

Though the connection would provide an emergency source, it will not solve future water source problems for the district, Red Turner noted.

"This is not an instant water source," Turner said. "If it doesn't rain, no one has water. This is not the answer to our problems."

Smith moved to move forward with a mutual aid agreement and to reconnect the district to the city's water line, seconded by Harrison. The motion was approved.

The district is investigating numerous possibilities for future water sources to serve customers as the district continues to grow. A meeting with customers is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at 6 p.m. CDT at Pine View Elementary School.

Residents in the that area have expressed concern at the possibility of the district receiving water from Harriman. That issue, along with other options, will be discussed.