Did you know Lawrence County received more American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act funds for water infrastructure improvements than any other county in the state? In early 2022, the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) awarded us $5.2 million through its Tennessee Water Infrastructure Investment Program. Today, the work funded by that investment is nearly complete.
Lawrence County received the largest grant because we have the best water supply, and the largest number of Utility Districts, in the state. The former and latter are directly related. As home to the headwaters of Shoal Creek and the Buffalo River, and tributaries and springs county-wide that feed them, it was easy for communities to access water and provide delivery to their own sections of the county.
Today, nine water providers serve Lawrence County: West Point, St. Joseph, Summertown, Iron City, Northeast, Fall River, and Leoma Utility Districts; Loretto Water Department; and Lawrenceburg Utility Systems.
County leaders initially hoped ARP funds could be used to extend lines from these providers to areas of the county without water service. But surveys of all nine showed deficiencies that TDEC required us to address with the grant award. The primary problem was water loss – a wasteful and expensive problem for providers and their customers.
The engineering firm approved for the project began building a comprehensive inventory of the county’s water infrastructure. It identified every water line and the providers that are responsible for them. GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping software links water providers to one another so they can see exactly where the lines lie, and address problems together if necessary. That’s vital for efficient operation and future expansions.
The software also tracks 49 zone meters installed all over the county, which use radio frequencies to measure water flow and report unusual spikes that are a sign of water loss. The technology allows water systems to pinpoint leaks and repair them without exploratory digging that wastes time and money.
We also asked engineers to locate any lead or copper pipes, but they found none. It was a welcome discovery, since aging pipes can create health risks and increase maintenance costs. Now, as water providers repair leaks in their systems, engineers are developing comprehensive growth and capital improvement plans for the county’s water systems.
With repairs made and plans for expansion in place, we are much more likely to receive grant funding for water line extensions into more areas of the county. That message was reinforced during meetings two weeks ago with officials from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the offices of Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty and Congressman Scott DesJarlais. Because Lawrence County now has detailed infrastructure data, reduced water loss, and long-term capital improvement plans, we are better positioned than ever to compete for future water infrastructure funding.