“Sometimes things on paper, they add up, but they’re not right.” That’s the approach Polk County Executive Robby Hatcher took when he asked Tennessee officials to explain their denial for a Copper Basin Utility District (CBUD) request.
Hatcher explained that, as part of grant funding, the utility district had requested a change to be allowed to install a 300,000 gallon water tank to improve pressure within the system. Adding Copperhill as a customer had caused a pressure drop in some areas.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) was originally okay with the request, but when the change order was submitted to TDEC and the State Water Infrastructure Grants Program (SWIG) it was denied.
Hatcher announced that denial at the June county commission meeting. He said then his initial fear was the entire grant had been denied, but later understood it was just for the change order.
He said the state was pushing for grant funds to be used to repair leaks.
The next day, at a meeting of the Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD), Hatcher said he asked for an explanation of the denial and for the county and CBUD to be heard. That request resulted in a meeting with TDEC July 10.
In a July 12 email to Hatcher, TDEC wrote, “The meeting provided additional insight for the needs of the community (and TDEC has concluded) that construction of the additional 300,000 gallon tank will allow CBUD to meet the pressure demands.” The letter concluded the change order was approved and the denial reversed.