The topic came up after the town board turned down a request from Alderman Frank Reagor, who was not present for the meeting, for a sewer tap at 104 Hinkle Hill Road.

Bell Buckle is not allowed to install any sewer taps until problems with its waste water system has been corrected. A Director's Order was issued in March of 2005 concerning problems with the system.

According to the state order, there were 61 instances of bypass overflow with the system in 2004, which allowed an estimated 1.6 million gallons of partially-treated wastewater to enter Bell Buckle Creek.

Last month, water manager Ronnie Lokey reported that work was basically completed on the town's new equalization basin, which was required for the city to comply with a Director's Order.

The basin would store all of the inflow and infiltration during wet weather, rather than bypassing it into the creek, and then run it through the treatment plant when the flows go back down.

Lokey said Tuesday that the basin was still full so that it could be tested for leaks and that W & O Construction has been on site for the past two days working on the finishing touches.

Environmental Engineer Jim Patterson of St. John Engineering could not give a definite answer when TDEC would lift the Director's Order, stating the request was likely "sitting on a desk somewhere." He suggested contacting TDEC if the town had not heard from the department in 30 days about the matter.

Lokey also reported a 28 percent water loss for the month of February.

In other related business, the board voted on the first reading of an ordinance establishing collection charges for past due water bills.

The ordinance says there is a need to collect payments 90 days old and the board was told there is currently $10,000 worth of debt outstanding from customers.

The town would be authorized to add a collection charge to the unpaid bills. The charge would add an additional 30 percent to the total unpaid bill on accounts over 90 days old, but under one year; and an additional 50 percent on the total unpaid bill for bills over a year old turned over to a collection agency.

The board tabled an ordinance establishing property maintenance regulations until a section about abandoned vehicles could be added. The ordinance allows the town to deal with overgrown lots and properties with accumulations of trash or debris.

Also approved was a request from the town's Chamber of Commerce to repaint the quilt on the square.