By ZOË HAGGARD - zhaggard@t-g.com
In July, the Wartrace water system lost over 40 percent of their purchased water from Tullahoma due to pipe leaks, according to the utility reports. That’s down from June where they lost closer to 50 percent.
The loss costs the city about $21,000 per month. Wartrace has higher water rates than other municipalities but it’s not solely from the leaks.
Wartrace has about 100 miles of water pipes that span from the town itself to Tullahoma to Beech Grove to the Highway 41A-64 intersection, according to former Wartrace mayor and Commissioner Don Gallagher. It’s a lot of maintenance. This is coupled with the fact most of the water pipes are from the 1930s.
According to Mayor Cindy Drake, the town’s water department ended 2021 with a loss of profit.
The Town of Wartrace will be having a public meeting at town hall at 6 p.m. Thursday. All community members are invited.
The water rates
So as of July 1, the town switched its water rates to be consumption-based, with city limit residents paying $20.55 minimum and outside city limit residents paying $50.20, with a $7.20 per 1,000-gallon rate for both types of residents.
Before, the system was spread out among all the consumers. Drake explained if a resident used 20,000 gallons, the prices would be about the same as someone using 200,000 gallons.
“And that’s not fair. Everybody should pay for their own consumption,” said Drake.
Are the new consumption-based rates unfair?
One County resident commented to the Times-Gazette, “Clearly, the Wartrace government is favoring the Wartrace city limit residents, who are the same people who put them in office.” She said her water bill was $86.70 for 29 days of consumption, which was up from $72.56 for 31 days the previous month.
Drake said Wartrace city residents also have to pay a sewer fee, which costs around $20. In the city, the bill is split in two, while in the county, there is just one bill, she explained.
This practice of splitting these rates is common, according to Gallagher. “I know it doesn’t sound fair but it’s a normal practice in utility districts,” he said.
“If you lived in town, the houses are close together. The maintenance and upkeep of the line isn’t anything like it is if you live out in the country. It costs a lot more to maintain the system outside of the town,” Gallagher explained.
Wartrace water history
Wartrace began paying for water consumption from Tullahoma around 2010 when the Cascade Spring water source was condemned by the water district, according to Gallagher. He said they knew contaminates were building up in the spring due to industrial development as well as E. coli contamination.
Wartrace was given the choice to build a filtration plant for $4 million (which wouldn’t do anything, about chemicals, only bacteria, according to Gallagher) or find a new source of water.
So, from the mid-1930s to 2010, water was essentially free for the town while the fee paid by residents helped pay for leak repairs. The rate had not changed since 2010, according to Drake.
The town will also be conducting a rate study through Municipal Technical Advisory Service with the University of Tennessee (MTAS), which will make sure their rates are where they’re supposed to be, Drake said.
“What we don’t want is for the state to set our rates,” said Drake. “The state is going to look even further down the road and set the rates high enough so we will definitely have a profit.”
Compared to other cities and counties, Drake said Wartrace’s rates are close to Manchester’s. “I checked everybody’s rates, and everybody charges more in the county than they do in the city. And you have to because it’s more pipe per household,” said Drake. “And it’s hard to find somebody who serves the city and county like we do.”
Those under Bedford County Utility District pay a rate of $17 per 1,500 gallons. Shelbyville pays $13.40 for 1,000 gallons. For those outside the city, it’s $15.20 for the first 1,000 gallons. Those in Flat Creek have to pay $20.20 for the first 1,500 gallons.
Drake said the reason a city like Shelbyville has a smaller rate is because they have less pipes and more people (some 25,000) to pay for it. According to Gallagher, Wartrace has 100 miles of pipes and less than 1,300 paying for them.
Gallagher said the best way to deal with this issue is to identify those sections of line that have the worst leaks— those out toward the Fairfield community and Bugscuffle Road. Then, with those specifics, apply for a grant.
