A representative of the West Cumberland Utility District asked the Crossville City Council to consider a merger or partnership with the district.
District Vice President Jesse Iles said the district hopes to partner to improve quality of life for residents and secure a local source of water for the area. The district serves 2,200 customers.
“We’d like to do this so we can get some help. Lower more rates and stuff,” Iles said. “I mean, we’re very high, we (have) very expensive water rates at Pleasant Hill, and we’ve come a long way, a long way in (the) 14 years since I’ve been on there.”
Iles said the district has been approached by the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority, which is looking to bring together all the utilities in the county to work toward a long-term water solution. Iles said there are unknowns in that idea.
“I mean we just got a concern whether (people) are gonna get their water you know have enough water, supply and demand for us,” Iles said. “You know, everybody that signs up, that’s where our problem, where we really are. And I just believe Crossville is our best bet.”
Iles said the district replaced 95 percent of service lines and received a grant of over $1.7 million, including a contract for 7,000 feet of outlines to replace the old ones. Iles said the district has been outfitted in new equipment.
“And we’ve grown. I’ve been on there 14 years and we’ve grown a lot since I’ve been on there. I’ve been president, vice president, you know, down there for 14 years,” Iles said. “It’s my forth term. We’ve got very good employees. Very good. I mean we’ve got a manager, district manager, office manager, one field supervisor and two field employees, and they do very, very good work with us.”
Iles said the district also spent $750,000 on new meters.
The council said City Manager Valerie Hale and staff will follow up on the idea.
