Trezevant Faced with Major Water System Upgrades

TREZEVANT (February 11) — The Town of Trezevant is facing major upgrades to its water and wastewater system to meet current regulatory requirements. Water systems consultant, Robert Kelley, said the needed upgrades could cost as much as $6 million over a several-year period.

Kelley, who has worked as a consultant with the city since 2020, said, “There’s good news and there’s bad news. This is the good news. You need three million dollars. And that’s just for water, but it’s all good news. Even though when I come back next month and tell you you need another $3 million in sewer, it’s all good news,” said Kelley.

Mr. Kelley said he would report monthly to the Board of Mayor and Council on the progress made.

Kelley said he personally would not drink the water.

Water Superintendent Erik Grimes had a different opinion, stating the water is testing as required and meets government standards. Grimes said he drinks the water each day.

Other city officials also said they drink the city water.

Kelley provided an in-depth report of the city’s needs and the estimated costs associated.

“We should be looking and prioritizing our needs based on what we can actually do with grant money,” said Kelley.

Kelley recommended engineers immediately review the water system to implement a plan of action.

Grimes noted the city had engineers, who now refuse any attempt to communicate with city officials.

Recently, the city increased its water rates to anticipate needed improvements in future years better.

“The rate study, that we did, had us in five years with a lot of money that we don’t have right now. So hopefully, we’ll have a match for a federal grant. So what we need to do is prioritize what we need to do on wastewater right now, because once it (the outdoor temperature) gets hot, he (the water plant operator) is going to have to dump millions of gallons (of wastewater). And when he does, you guys are going to get federal violations.”

Kelley supported his statements with charts of costs, life cycles of the operating equipment, and anticipated maintenance and replacement.

He recommended aerator pumps immediately be added at the wastewater lagoon.

The elevated water tank needs to be cleaned to eliminate the suspended solids inside the tank that eventually flow through the customers’ water pipes.

Deep well number 2 needs to be replaced and dug to a deeper depth so that it does not pick up the solid water.

The clearwater tank, behind City Hall, must be replaced.

The overall outcome of the asset management provided expected lifespans of each asset in the water and wastewater system as established by the EPA.

Kelley said, “For instance, the elevated storage tank was installed in 1961, and according to the EPA’s guidelines, this tank has a lifespan of only 60 years. Therefore, we recognize that it has reached the end of its expected life. However, we have undertaken maintenance and improvements to extend its lifespan. So even though the EPA would advise that our storage tank needs replacement based on its age, the condition of the tank reflects the effort we’ve put into maintaining it. It doesn’t appear to be at the end of its life. We’ve painted it, kept it updated, and conducted regular inspections. It is made from quality materials, and it meets the criteria for a public water system storage facility. While there are minor defects—such as some issues with the float valve—the overall condition is excellent. I am confident that it will serve the next generation of residents in Trezevant.

“Now, let’s examine the interior of the tank, which tells another story. I want to stress that our water system is not designed to meet current water treatment standards. It was built long before changes in regulations for public water systems were implemented. We are not filtering the water as we should be, and I will show you pictures to illustrate what needs to be done. I have compiled a prioritization of assets based on the insights from the workbook. However, as I have mentioned, I believe that immediate maintenance should be a priority. We must make changes to modernize the water system for the future.”

Regarding the condition of the elevated storage tank, Kelley presented photographs showing the inside of the tank, where there are five or six inches of sediment accumulated.

“This tank holds finished water that is distributed to the public, and the presence of sediment is concerning. I’m bringing this to your attention because prioritizing maintenance is essential and cannot always be reflected in the asset management plan. If you were to ask me, your top priority should be addressing maintenance issues, with the asset management plan guiding you further. The sediment in the photographs indicates that your system is not designed to properly handle water treatment requirements. All that sediment should have been removed earlier in the treatment process. This is the final stage, and we need to ensure the water is clear before reaching consumers. The sediment should be eliminated during the initial stages of treatment through processes like filtration, aeration, and chlorination before the water reaches this tank and is delivered to the distribution system. To summarize, it is critical that you either implement flocculation or filtration to remove the sediment from your water effectively. This leads me to emphasize the need for addressing these priorities in the asset management plan.

To abandon well number 2 and drill another will cost $766,000, said Kelley. In 2023 and 2024, you spent $100,000 on pumps for well 2.

“I recommend we get engineers working on that and start applying for federal funding.”

Kelley anticipates another water rate increase in 2027 or 2028.