Infrastructure Planning and Costs Continue to Confront Middle Tennessee Communities

Two recent Tennessean stories from Springfield and Lebanon continue to highlight the struggle for many communities in the Cumberland Region to finance existing infrastructure costs—much less expanding. In Springfield The Sulphur Springs wastewater treatment plant has peaked and requires improvements estimated at $74 million dollars.

Springfield Water and Waste Water Plant at Maximum Capacity

Springfield Water/Wastewater Director Roger Lemasters said it is going to get to the point where the Environmental Protection Agency and the state will insist Springfield stop its wastewater violations.

“We’re very good at meeting our limits, but every now and then we’ll have a violation,” he said. “If we don’t do something, the limits at Sulphur Creek are going to just get tighter and tighter.”

The Engineering firm hired to study the needs recommends action soon, said Leader Karen Harrison. Springfield Alderman James Hubbard asked how soon the city had to make needed changes. “It’s impossible to know exactly how much time you have, but you are on the ragged edge,” Harrison said.

Lemasters told the mayor and Aldermen that when he worked for the state, industries looking to locate to the Middle Tennessee area would not even consider moving into the Springfield area due to its at capacity limits at the Sulphur Creek plant.

“Springfield never got mentioned,” Lemasters said. “It’s because Springfield had a 3.4 million gallon a day wastewater treatment plant and they were averaging 3.4 million gallons a day. They hydraulically couldn’t take any more wastewater. You cannot grow unless you can dispose of the wastewater.”
Read the Full Article from
The Tennessean, November 29, 2011
“Springfield sewage system on ‘ragged edge’”

Projected Growth in Mt. Juliet may increase Sewage Fees

In Mt. Juliet, city leaders have already seen tremendous growth and are now debating on how to pay for those expanded services. Officials recently presented a plan to increase sewer rates but the city’s Mayor is not sure a hike is needed.

According to the city’s projections, the sewer fund could start losing money after years of growth and increasing maintenance costs with few rate increases to keep pace.

“We’re basically expending all the funds that we got from the heyday of development,” Assistant Public Works Director Shannon Joyner said. “We got a lot of development funds and it was great, but it’s not happening anymore.”

If the city doesn’t eventually make changes to the fund, he said, state auditors might mandate a fix.

Rates have not increased since 2009 and according to the city’s projections; the city’s sewer fund will be in the red at the end of the current fiscal year. The shortfall could grow to nearly $1 million by 2015.
However Hagerty noted that he’s seen projections in years past showing declining developer fees and increasing expenses that have proved to be false.

Read the Full Article:
The Tennessean, December 2, 2011
“Mt. Juliet studies sewer hike”

Infrastructure Investment and Quality Growth

Both stories highlight the complicated balance of providing services without overextending city resources. CRT works with communities to plan for growth development that uses the least amount of new infrastructure. CRT’s many publications, studies, and resources show that residential infrastructure does not pay for itself. They also demonstrate how communities can build and develop in quality ways that will have a major impact on future and projected costs. These Resources highlight tools to implement future infrastructure investment and planning.