Water Authority Shares Updates At Brief Meeting
By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor
The Dade County Water and Sewer Authority shared project updates during a brief meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 23, due to the absence of multiple board members.
Secretary and treasurer Travis Daniel led the meeting, which lasted less than 10 minutes. Daniel noted that Chair Eddie Cantrell, board member Darrell Pardue, and General Manager Sherri Walker were out because they were all sick.
According to Daniel, the project applications they submitted a few months prior for Congressionally Directed Spending money were denied. The Water Authority had applied for a raw water intake screen system project, a Vanguard Industrial Road project, a State Route 299 water main upgrade, a State Route 157 and Highway 189 water main upgrade, and a New Salem water main upgrade.
“A lot of people put in for it, but you definitely don’t stand a chance if you don’t apply,” Daniel said.
Daniel reported that all the water main upgrades have been completed, as part of the USDA projects. The water meter replacement project is still in progress, and the work is on schedule. Work on the Sand Mountain pump station is approximately 98 percent complete, with a surge suppression valve due to be delivered in September. The rehab work on the Lookout Mountain and Hooker water tanks are complete.
Daniel also gave an update on the ongoing effort to provide water access to residents on Egypt Hollow Road. The majority of Egypt Hollow Road is in Marion County, but the road dead ends in Dade County. Three homes are on the Dade County side of the road.
The Water Authority was waiting to hear back from Marion County Mayor David Jackson and the County Commission, on their decision to pay for the installation of water mains on Egypt Hollow Road from their American Rescue Plan Act funds. If Marion County agrees to pay for the water line, Jasper, Tenn., would have to agree to accept maintenance responsibility for the water main and meters.
“Marion County Commission made no decision at last month’s meeting on the project. Several projects have been submitted for funding and Marion County is determining which projects will move forward. They will poll the residents in the Egypt Hollow area to determine if all residents intend to connect to the proposed water line and pay their tap fee. We have reached out, and this is all we can do at this point,” Daniel said.
Elizabeth Zeller presented the financial report. The total revenue for the month of July was $383,000. Total expenses for the month were $332,000. Zeller noted that there were a few different expenses for the month, including fees for an audit, the purchase of two trucks and computer maintenance. There were 6,605 payments processed, 185 work orders, 125 line locates, 8 water main repairs and 12 taps installed. Zeller also reported that a new roof was built on the raw water pump station, and a safety harness was also installed at the pump station.
The next Water and Sewer Authority meeting is Sept. 27.