Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Utilities, roads and Infrastructure

Utilities, roads and Infrastructure

Train, train, go away - at least, from Wartrace crossing (11/09/08)
Sitting in front of the Wartrace railroad crossing for 10, 15, 30 or 45 minutes can be irritating, frustrating, costly-- and deadly. That was the message Wartrace citizens tried to get across to CSX Transportation Thursday morning in a special meeting at the town's community center. State Sen. Jim Tracy, State Rep. Curt Cobb and Sean Gilliland, a representative from U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon's office, attended along with Wartrace elected officials, area first responders and concerned citizens...

Locals flock to pumps ahead of Ike (09/12/08)
As Hurricane Ike bears down on Texas, Bedford County residents have been hitting the gasoline pumps in force, leading at least one chain to ask customers to limit purchases to 10 gallons. Fuel prices jumped to unprecedented levels in the wholesale markets Thursday as Ike tore across the Gulf of Mexico...

City envisions Depot Street revitalization (09/03/08)
Turning East Depot Street into a one-way thoroughfare is one idea that is part of a revitalization project envisioned for a two block area off the public square, the Shelbyville City Council was told Tuesday. City manager Ed Craig said he had been approached by several merchants on E. Depot about making the street one way due to concerns over safety for the businesses there...

NEW: Atmos reports outage (08/12/08)
Atmos Energy Corp. reported system problems in Shelbyville on Tuesday which resulted in a disruption in natural gas service for about 35 meters. The company had to turn off the service to those meters while inspecting them. "Any time we experience pressure fluctuations, Atmos immediately double-checks our system lines and equipment," said Operations Supervisor David Roberts. "A safe and reliable system is, and will always be, our number one concern."...

River agency selects Crowell as chairman (07/25/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- A former general manager of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System was elected chairman of the Duck River Development Agency during its quarterly board meeting Thursday night. Gene Crowell started working for his city's utilities in 1957 and remembers working in downtown Shelbyville when power service trucks were replaced with "boats to pull meters because of the flooding" of the Duck River, he said...

Gordon visits new substation (06/17/08)
Duck River Electric Membership Corp. gave U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon and other dignitaries a tour Monday of the new $2 million electric substation near Wartrace. The new substation went online in March, but Monday was its official dedication. "It's an important part of our service to Bedford County," said DREMC general manager Jim Allison...

'Tough year' ahead for Solid Waste Authority (06/16/08)
Next year's budget for Bedford County Solid Waste Authority will be tight, according to officials, with an eventual shortfall expected despite a projected surplus to begin the fiscal year. Last month, the authority voted to submit two different budget requests to the county's Financial Management Committee. Budget "A" covers what board members believe the county's sanitation department will need, while Budget "B" contained a five-percent cut...

DRA plans water supply study (06/14/08)
Even though the region's drought classification continues to drop, local officials are looking at a comprehensive study to find the best way to continue to provide water to the area. TVA reported at the Duck River Agency's last board meeting that expanding the capacity of Normandy Lake would cost an estimated $21 million, which doesn't include a feasibility study...

Sewer taps allowed again in Bell Buckle (06/11/08)
The day Bell Buckle has been awaiting for more than three years has finally arrived -- the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has lifted a sewer moratorium on the small town. As a result, Bell Buckle will be allowed to install sewer taps now that problems with its waste water system have been corrected...

Get ready for Bonnaroo traffic (06/10/08)
It's that time of year again, when neighboring Manchester temporarily becoming Tennessee's sixth most populated city. The 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicks off this weekend and, with nearly 80,000 people coming to the Coffee County area, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Highway Patrol are getting ready...

City to look at power board appointment options (06/04/08)
Shelbyville's city council will receive several alternative suggestions on how to appoint members to the Power, Water and Sewer Board after several years of confusion over the proper method. Councilman Randy Vernon made the suggestion following controversy over the election of members during the past year...

Shelbyville is not alone in sewage problems (06/02/08)
Aging sewage systems statewide are causing water quality problems, and the problem hits home in Bedford County. Shelbyville is one of 68 municipally-owned sewer systems in Tennessee that are under some type of order to bring their systems up to standards, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports, based on data from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation...

Wartrace plans water line upgrades (05/23/08)
Work will begin this summer north of Wartrace on water lines that should improve pressure for those rural residents, that town's board learned Tuesday. Mayor Don Gallagher explained that county mayor Eugene Ray has applied for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for water line extensions in Flat Creek...

Stormwater discussed by city planners (05/23/08)
A public meeting will be held next month, probably June 19, to explain the City of Shelbyville's stormwater regulations, which were adopted in 2003 as a result of state and federal Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) requirements. City Manager Ed Craig announced the meeting during Thursday night's meeting of Shelbyville Municipal Planning Commission...

The numbers are up: traffic lights get signage (05/22/08)
Shelbyville has a lot of visitors, and sooner or later, they all have one thing in common. They get "turned around" or just plain lost. This week, the city's public works department is doing something about that by numbering the traffic lights on Shelbyville's main arteries: Madison Street and North Main Street...

Wartrace seals water deal with Tullahoma (05/21/08)
It's a done deal. Wartrace agreed Tuesday night to connect to Tullahoma's water system, a move that will save the town money and provide more pressure to rural water customers. The deal was nearly approved earlier this month, but concerns about the water supplied to the George Dickel Distillery were a sticking point...

Gordon committee looks at water supply issues (05/20/08)
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon chaired a House Science and Technology Committee hearing focusing on the challenges facing the United States' water supply. "In Tennessee, the first eight months of 2007 were the driest in the last 118 years," said Gordon in a news release. ...

Rain lessens drought pressure (05/16/08)
A steady amount of rain over the region has resulted in the northwestern half of Bedford County being downgraded to a "moderate" drought status, a drastic change from the rank of "exceptional" that plagued the state last year. However, data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor for Tennessee shows that the southeastern part of the county still remains in the "severe" drought category...

Cascade water still fit for Dickel (05/14/08)
When George A. Dickel began making his world famous whisky back in 1870, he used the fresh, clean water that bubbled from Cascade Spring. Nearly 140 years later, the tradition is still very important to the brand name, and should be able to continue, even though the rest of the region may be getting its water from a different source...

Bell Buckle board raises tap fees (05/14/08)
Water and sewer tap fees will be going up in Bell Buckle this summer. That town's board voted Tuesday night to raise the rates inside the city from $1,000 to $2,000 and from $1,500 to $2,500 for taps outside the town's limits. Mayor Dennis Webb said the costs would be incurred by new customers, not existing ones, and will assist with higher costs for running the water system. The new rates will be implemented July 1...

Proposed SWA budgets would have shortfalls (05/12/08)
With county departments asked to tighten their belts, the Solid Waste Authority voted to submit two different budget requests to the county's Financial Management Committee. Budget "A" covers what the county's sanitation department will need, while Budget "B" contained a five percent cut. The request to submit two different budgets came from the finance committee last month, and applies to all county agencies...

Sudberry, Nelson elected to power board (05/09/08)
Despite a complicated process, the Shelbyville City Council voted in two Power Board members Thursday evening. Rayburn Sudberry was elected to replace Clarence Lamb and Clara Nelson was returned to her seat. Lamb and Nelson had filed applications to serve, as did Sudberry, Thomas Landers, Ashley Heard, James Darden, Robert Crowell, Lizzie Peoples and Jason "Rusty" Reed...

Spring rains help, but lake still low (05/08/08)
With Normandy Reservoir just four feet away from reaching its summer pool level, area officials realize that the current level is as high as the lake will reach this year. But plans are in the works to deal with the situation that the region faced last summer due to the extreme drought...

Wartrace must work with Dickel before new water deal can be approved (05/05/08)
Wartrace had hoped to approve a deal to buy water from Tullahoma Monday night, but a few details still have to be sorted out before that can take place -- namely concerning George Dickel Distillery. Mayor Don Gallagher called the proposed deal between the Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) and Wartrace "a great win-win deal," but signing off on the plan was side-tracked until issues concerning the water supplied to the Coffee County distillery could be addressed....

Wartrace to discuss water supply options (05/01/08)
Wartrace will hold a special called meeting Monday to consider a contract with the Tullahoma Utilties Board (TUB) to furnish water to the town's customers. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the town hall and will be held in conjunction with the meeting of the Wartrace Water Board...

Wartrace cleanup is this week (04/29/08)
Shelbyville did it last week; now, it's Wartrace's turn. It's time for the town's residents to put on their work gloves and get rid of all that junk laying around for the annual Wartrace Beautification Week. During the event, Wartrace residents are being encouraged to take the time to spruce up their property...

TUB connection could help pressure in Wartrace, Bell Buckle (04/29/08)
A frequent complaint heard from water customers living in the Wartrace and Bell Buckle area is the lack of pressure in the system. But if Wartrace decides to hook up to the city of Tullahoma's water system, that problem could become a thing of the past...

$21 million is possible cost of Normandy project (04/26/08)
With one eye on the current drought and the other eye on future flooding, the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency will soon be requesting feasibility studies for solutions -- one of which could be raising the pool level at Normandy Dam 5 feet -- which would mean construction work to raise the actual dam and replace the spillway gates...

Big trucks moved off the square (04/25/08)
The traffic situation on Shelbyville's public square will soon see some relief as 18-wheeled vehicles will be directed away from the crowded area. City manager Ed Craig said that Mayor Wallace Cartwright had requested that the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) reroute state highways off of the square. The city received word from TDOT Tuesday that the request was approved...

Pipeline, higher dam among water supply ideas (04/22/08)
Alternatives on how to avoid water shortages due to drought are to be explored at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday when the Duck River Agency Board of Directors convenes for its quarterly meeting. One of the ideas is to have a pipe to transfer water from Tims Ford Lake, which is fed by the Elk River, to the Duck River below the Normandy Lake dam to maintain river flow through Shelbyville as well as water reserves for the utility serving Tullahoma and Manchester, according to the river agency's executive director and chairman of the board.. ...

Half of Shelbyville without water for 12 hours (04/21/08)
So far, 2008 has been an eventful year for Bedford County's water utilities. About 4,500 customers -- a little more than half -- of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System were without water for 12 hours Saturday night and Sunday morning, after a water main break in a field near SPWSS headquarters...

VIDEO: Tracy discusses North Main widening (04/18/08)
State Sen. Jim Tracy discusses the importance of widening North Main Street during a public hearing Thursday night. See the story here....

Citywide cleanup is coming (04/18/08)
If you've had enough of looking at that musty old couch or need to finally get rid of that antiquated refrigerator, get ready to haul it out to the street. April 21-25 is Spring Cleanup Week in Shelbyville, which gives residents the opportunity to get rid of all that junk that's been pilling up...

Video: turbidity explained in Wartrace (04/15/08)
David Money of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation explains turbidity to Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and Mayor Don Gallagher discusses the town's actions: ...

Shelbyville bypass gets funding (04/15/08)
State Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) and State Rep. Curt Cobb (D-Shelbyville) have announced that the Tennessee Department of Transportation has included the Shelbyville bypass in its list of highway projects for the 2008-09 budget year...

Wartrace seeks Tullahoma water deal (04/15/08)
Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Monday to begin the process of pursuing a contract with Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) to provide water to Wartrace customers after area residents were forced to boil their water supply for nearly two weeks...

SWA struggles with fuel costs (04/14/08)
Rising fuel prices are causing the Solid Waste Authority to shift funds within its budget to compensate for the extra costs. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for SWA, briefed the board about the situation, saying that no additional funds would be needed yet to pay for the diesel fuel that drives their trucks...

Wartrace lifts boil order (04/12/08)
The boil water order for Wartrace was lifted Saturday morning as the town looks to buy water from Tullahoma to prevent a repeat of the problem. Mayor Don Gallagher said he will be sending a letter out to water customers as soon as the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen decide on a course of action in regards to the water situation...

Grant funds industrial spec building (04/11/08)
On the same week that one Shelbyville industry announced its closure, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced that Duck River Electric Membership Corp. has been given a $300,000 grant to help build a spec building to attract a similar-sized industry to Airport Business Park...

Bell Buckle discusses water woes (04/11/08)
With leaks in their system and their residents forced to boil their drinking water last week, the wet stuff was once again a major topic of discussion for Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday. A drinking water warning was issued for the Wartrace water system last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. ...

Wartrace waits for test results (04/11/08)
Wartrace officials were waiting on test results and looking at the skies Friday as residents continue to endure a boil water advisory that is headed into a second week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system early last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Residents have been instructed to boil tap water before consuming it...

Wartrace boil order still in effect (04/10/08)
While Wartrace residents are being asked to boil their water for another day, Mayor Don Gallagher says he is optimistic about the situation. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

Wartrace still under boil order (04/09/08)
Wartrace water customers will have to boil their water for another day. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Wednesday that workers have finished flushing all the water lines in the system and that bacteria samples have been sent to Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for testing. ...

Wartrace water testing continues (04/08/08)
Testing of the water system continues in Wartrace today as officials say that the turbidity level at Cascade Spring is dropping. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said that the testing today involves the water line...

Utilities discuss supply at water summit (04/08/08)
Several solutions are needed to avoid a repeat of last summer's drought scare, and they may include adjusting the Duck River Agency's charter, according to a consensus officials heard during a water utilities summit last week. State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), who represents Marshall and Maury counties, hosted a brainstorming session at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday with dozens of leaders from water utilities attending with county mayors and other officials...

Normandy Lake up six feet in a week (04/07/08)
Heavy rains on Friday, combined with a steady amount in the days beforehand, have brought the level of Normandy Reservoir over six feet higher than the same time last week. Also, the drought has now been lowered to a more-favorable classification of "severe" for some parts of Bedford County, according to data provided by the United States Drought Monitor...

Water conditions improving, say Wartrace officials (04/07/08)
"It's getting better, but we're not there yet." That was the word this morning from Wartrace Town Hall about the condition of their water system, the customers of which have been under an advisory to boil water since last week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Monday that the turbidity level was at 3.9, with the acceptable limit set at 1.0...

Advisory lifted for Bell Buckle; Wartrace still impacted (04/04/08)
The Town of Bell Buckle announced Friday afternoon that the order to boil water for that community has been officially lifted by David Money of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). However the order for Wartrace is still in effect and may not be lifted until the later part of next week, according to Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher....

Wartrace advisory stays in effect (04/04/08)
Even though samples have not shown the presence of any bacteria, customers of the Wartrace Water System continue to be under an advisory to boil their water before drinking it. Mayor Don Gallagher said this morning that the situation with the water supply was "still over the limit" and that he had no idea when the advisory would be lifted, but guessed that it would continue over the weekend...

Household hazardous waste event scheduled (04/04/08)
For many, spring means it's time to work on the yard and the flower garden, but it is also a good time to get rid of all that dangerous junk in the garage. With that in mind, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will be holding its annual household hazardous waste collection event April 12 at Big Springs Shopping Center from 8 a.m. until noon...

Wartrace boil order continues (04/03/08)
Customers of Wartrace Water System are still being advised to boil their water on Thursday as workers continue to observe the condition of the water. A drinking water warning was issued for the system Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

Drought now 'extreme,' improved from 'exceptional' (04/03/08)
Bedford County is no longer "exceptional" -- and that's a good thing. The National Drought Mitigation Center has lifted the "exceptional" drought category for Coffee, Franklin, Bedford and Warren Counties, with the region now listed in the second-worst rating of "extreme" drought...

Water summit planned at Horton Park (04/02/08)
A brainstorming session is scheduled Thursday evening at Henry Horton State Park in Marshall County to reach consensus on how to deal with drought in the Duck River watershed, according to State Sen. Bill Ketron. Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) represents the 13th Senate District, including Maury and Marshall counties along the Duck River. He also represents Lincoln County and western Rutherford County...

UPDATED: Wartrace issues water warning (04/02/08)
A drinking water warning has been issued for the Wartrace Water System due to high turbidity levels and potentially contaminated water. The Town of Wartrace issued the warning Tuesday morning and is telling customers to boil their water before using it until further notice....

Rain continues, but still not much impact (03/31/08)
Rain many have fallen for most of the weekend, but it wasn't enough to have much impact on the level of a drought stricken Normandy Reservoir. From Friday until midnight Sunday, a total of 0.54 inches of rain fell at Normandy, bringing the level of the lake up to 862.18 feet above sea level...

Tyson says it has corrected sewage issue (03/27/08)
Problems with Tyson Foods' sewage treatment facility at its chicken processing plant in Shelbyville have been corrected, according to company officials. Last Feburary, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) issued a notice of violation to Tyson Foods' environmental office in Shelbyville, stating that the plant's sewage treatment facility discharged effluent into the Duck River with levels of ammonia greater than allowed by the plant's permit...

Normandy water level rises more than a foot (03/17/08)
While just under an inch of rain fell Friday and Saturday at Normandy Reservoir, the level of the lake is up nearly a foot and a half from the same time last week. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site today at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 860.15 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Plastic recycling now available locally (03/15/08)
If you are the type who's into saving the Earth and reusing things, you will likely be making a trip to 106 Cedar King Road in Shelbyville a frequent occurrence. That's where Shelbyville Recycled Fiber Company, a division of RockTenn, is accepting plastics for recycling, answering requests from many in the county to begin the practice...

Vannatta resigns as SWA chair (03/14/08)
Bobby Vannatta stepped down as chairman of the Bedford County Solid Waste Authority Thursday night, citing health and other reasons. Vannatta said he was stepping down for "the betterment of the board and for me personally." He also stated he could not remember exactly how long he had served as chairman...

Bell Buckle awaits sewer nod (03/14/08)
Bell Buckle is still waiting to hear from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) about lifting a Director's Order against the town that prevents it from installing any new sewer taps. 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...

Normandy flow limit urged by commission (03/12/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday night calling on Tennessee Valley Authority to "limit the flow of water from Normandy Lake with emphasis on human consumption." The original document read "...emphasis on human consumption rather than aquatic life," but Doug Murphy of the Shelbyville-based Tennessee Duck River Agency told commissioners that the two are not necessarily at odds, and that it might be counterproductive to antagonize environmental groups...

Lake level is up, but still far below normal (03/10/08)
TVA's gauge that measures the level of Normandy Reservoir is back in operation, but the numbers still show that the amount of water in the lake is far below normal. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site this morning at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 858.66 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Tracy: Water, budget occupy legislature (03/01/08)
Concerns about the state budget and local water issues are just some of the items that Tennessee legislators are to examine during this session of the General Assembly, State Sen. Jim Tracy said Friday. He spoke at a town meeting held in the Shelbyvlle Bedford County Chamber of Commerce auditorium, part of a series of meetings held throughout the 16th District...

Several streams polluted (02/25/08)
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has released a draft list of waterways that do not support the public's use of them, due to contamination from either waste water systems or pasture runoff. A number of streams in the Duck River watershed are on the list, including some in Bedford County. The Duck River watershed consists of Bedford, Coffee, Marshall, Maury, Rutherford and Williamson counties...

DREMC to construct new office annex (02/23/08)
Duck River Electric Membership Cooperative (DREMC) is planning to build a $2 million, 10,580-square foot annex office building near their present facility. The facility will be located at the corner of Eagle Boulevard and Learning Way, according to drawings submitted to the Shelbyville Municipal Planning Commission...

TVA reduces Normandy Dam flow (02/23/08)
Following an environmental assessment, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has agreed to lower the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir to 40 cubic feet per second (cfs) until May 31. The federal utility released a "Finding of No Significant Impact" which means that lowering the flow would not impact water quality and aquatic life near the dam...

Chapel Hill seeks money for stormwater damage (02/20/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- Federal funding is being sought by the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen to deal with stormwater drainage. A $366,160 project is contemplated, according to consulting engineer Will Owen of the Murfreesboro-based engineering firm Griggs & Maloney Inc...

Bell Buckle seeks lift of state sewer sanction (02/15/08)
Bell Buckle will be contacting the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) soon about lifting a director's order against the town in regards to their sewer system. Water manager Ronnie Lokey reported to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday 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 issued by TDEC...

City bypass tops regional highway list (02/11/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- While construction of Shelbyville's eastern bypass remains the priority among regional transportation organizers who met here Thursday, a state official suggested they break a plan to four-lane Lewisburg Highway (State Route 64) into smaller projects...

Rains raise Normandy level by two feet (02/08/08)
Rain that has fallen on the region over the past week has brought the level of Normandy Reservoir up over two feet, according to measurements taken by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). As of 6 a.m. Friday, the level at the lake had risen to 855.35 feet. Measurements taken last Friday placed the elevation at 852.12 feet...

Rain is welcome, but much more is needed (02/05/08)
While the wet stuff from the sky has paid the area a rare visit over the past week, the head of the Duck River Agency says a lot more will be needed over the next few months to build up Normandy Lake's water supply. Executive Director Doug Murphy said that between 10 to 15 more inches of precipitation over the next three months is needed to make "a significant impact" to the level of the lake...

Normandy flow decision may come soon (01/30/08)
The decision to reduce the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir to conserve the area's dwindling water supply could come as early as this week. However, further federal environmental studies would have to be made before any change would occur. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said Tuesday that there is "a lot of activity going on right now" with state and federal agencies discussing discharge reductions, and possibly by the end of this week they will release their plan...

Travel easier to Nashville, new mall (01/29/08)
Bedford County residents who use Interstate 24 frequently may notice lighter traffic with the addition of a new exit and completion of a widening project which was opened to the public Monday. The new exit (Exit 80) is located on New Salem Highway (State Route 99) and motorists will now be able to use four travel lanes in each direction on I-24 from State Route 96 to U.S. 231 North...

Bedford lags behind state in broadband (01/28/08)
A new study by a non-profit group has revealed that Bedford County residents have lower broadband Internet speeds and that fewer use high speed service compared to the state average. Connected Tennessee released a county-by-county reading of average Internet speeds across Tennessee. The maps are intended to give broadband providers and state policy makers information on which communities need higher quality Internet service...

Duck River Agency wants lower flow from Normandy Dam (01/25/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- With concerns that this area is in a five-year drought, Duck River Agency directors called for economic impact statements and updated river flow projections Thursday night as their executive anticipated another water release reduction at Normandy Dam...

Spring Hill joins DRA (01/24/08)
SPRING HILL -- Like water customers in Shelbyville and much of Bedford County have done for years, residents of this north Maury County city will soon be paying five cents per 1,000 gallons of water purchased to fund Duck River Agency activities. That's because the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 6-2 on Tuesday night to join the state-chartered agency. The agency is charged with the responsibility of protecting the river's water quality and quantity...

Normandy water reading uncertain (01/22/08)
What is the gauge at Normandy Dam really reading? That's a good question, after figures supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site stated Monday morning that the flow from the reservoir had stopped for about five hours early Monday. But TVA says that web site figure was inaccurate. Instead, the flow was at 114 cubic feet per second (cfs), a TVA spokesman told the T-G Monday morning...

Small steps can mean big water conservation (01/22/08)
With the level of Normandy Reservoir still dropping and no wet weather in the forecast, Stage 2 mandatory water restriction could be implemented for the region within a matter of months or even weeks. But there are already ways to cut back on water use now that won't put too much of a crimp on your family's lifestyle. Plus there's the added bonus of lower utility bills...

Bypass construction could begin in October (01/21/08)
Construction on the long-discussed, long-awaited northeast bypass around Shelbyville could begin as soon as October, State Rep. Curt Cobb said on Saturday. "We're pretty excited," Cobb told the Times-Gazette. Cobb also said bids on the first phase of widening North Main Street will be opened Feb. 15; a request for bids was issued on Friday...

Utility officials brace for the worst (01/19/08)
What if the water runs out? That's the dreaded question that area utility officials are looking at as skies bring little relief to the drought-stricken Duck River basin. Actions include the beginning stages of emergency planning and a plea to Gov. Phil Bredesen for immediate action...

Watershed 'watchdogs' hold second meeting (01/18/08)
Brainstorming, organization and getting citizens involved was the focus of the second meeting of the Duck River Watershed Association [DRWA] Thursday evening. Group members, who consider themselves "watchdogs for the watershed," are concerned about the future of the Duck River and the impact the extreme drought has had. They debated solutions to the shortage of water...

Mathis says dispatch meetings have been positive (01/17/08)
Bedford County Communications Center officials said Wednesday night that recent meetings with local emergency departments to discuss dispatch procedures have been productive, but that the center needs additional dispatchers to function more effectively...

Watershed group wants closer look at Tullahoma (01/16/08)
The Duck River Watershed Association should further examine the transfer of water from Normandy Lake and the Duck River watershed into to the Elk River. That suggestion comes from Sherry Beard, the executive director of the recently-organized citizens group that's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, 1304 Railroad Ave...

Braker: Shelbyville sewer plant affects water supply (01/12/08)
Calling the area's ongoing drought "a real crisis," the head of the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) believes the release of water from Normandy Dam should be cut further. Randall Braker of DRUC also took issue with the idea that Tullahoma's waste water flowing into the Elk River watershed is a "major leak" in the Duck River's water supply, as a former engineer for Shelbyville claimed last week...

SWA to take scrap metal bids (01/11/08)
Bedford County Solid Waste Authority will open sealed bids at its next meeting for a scrap metal recycling contract. The authority had formed a committee last month to examine the bids, which will require that the scrap be sold by the ton and that the bidder have a $1,000 security bond...

Duck River Watershed group will meet next week (01/10/08)
A new citizen based organization will be holding an informational meeting next week involving issues related to the Duck River and Normandy Dam. The Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) will meet at the Bedford County Emergency Management Center, 1304 Railroad Ave., on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m...

Bell Buckle may allow brown-bagging (01/09/08)
Bell Buckle's board passed the first reading of an ordinance that would make "brown bagging" legal again. "Brown bagging" is the practice of a customer bringing his own bottle of wine or liquor to a restaurant to consume with a meal. The repeal was introduced by Alderman Mark Felices, who stated that he did not want to "change the character of the town," but that it was a bad law because there was no way to enforce it...

Water from Duck River being disposed of in Elk River (01/08/08)
"Tullahoma, send us your sewage!" That's what a former engineer for the City of Shelbyville says should happen, due to the fact that the neighboring city is taking water from Normandy Reservoir and then pumping its treated water into the Elk River watershed instead of back into the Duck River watershed...

North Main widening study continues (01/02/08)
A preliminary field review of the widening of North Main Street in Shelbyville has been set by the Tennessee Department of Transportation [TDOT]. The review will be held Jan. 16 starting at 9 a.m. at the Region 3 office building in the Survey and Design Conference Room on the second floor at 6601 Centennial Boulevard in Nashville...

'Half of our water is gone' (12/19/07)
Normandy Reservoir is now at only half of its capacity and area officials are looking at drawing up an emergency plan to cope with the dwindling supply. While several rare rain events have graced the area over the past few weeks, the much welcomed perception has only slowed the gradual reduction of water in Normandy Reservoir...

SWA bids out scrap metal contract (12/14/07)
The county's solid waste authority will soon advertise to bid out its scrap metal recycling contract. The authority also formed a committee to examine the bids, which will be made available at the first of February and opened on the 14th of that month...

Bell Buckle absorbs water rate hike (12/13/07)
Bell Buckle hopes to keep water bills low for its customers despite a dramatic rate hike from Bedford County Utility District (BCUD). The town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday to accept the latest contract from BCUD with the new rate of $4 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of 51 percent over the current rate of $2.65 per 1,000 gallons...

County awarded water grant (12/07/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber have announced the approved a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist a water line extension project that will serve 56 homes in three target areas in Bedford County...

Drought continues to concern officials (12/05/07)
A weather system dubbed La Ni�a, Spanish for "the girl," is partly responsible for drought conditions that a weather service hydrologist says will continue through winter. It's a weather system born of different temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that set up broad patterns of moisture, or the lack of it that can lead to drought or wet weather. Other factors apply, but La Ni�a is a chief factor...

North Main work to cause closure (11/29/07)
A section of North Main Street will be closed tonight so the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) can finish uncompleted work on part of the roadway. According to Shelbyville City Manager Ed Craig, the section between North Cannon Boulevard and Rite Aid will be closed and graded...

Water cutbacks may be needed soon (11/27/07)
If no more rain falls on the region over the next eight weeks, Bedford and other counties served by Normandy Reservoir could be seeing mandatory water restrictions put into place. That's what Executive Director Doug Murphy of the Duck River Agency said Monday after it was discovered that the lake was two feet lower than was previously reported...

Normandy Lake two feet lower than thought (11/21/07)
Normandy Lake is actually two feet lower than previously thought, because a broken gauge was reporting the wrong figures. The T-G had last checked the lake's elevation on the Tennessee Valley Authority web site Wednesday, when the level was reported at 856.29 feet above sea level. However, the level on the site Tuesday morning read at 854.15...

City gets $24M loan for sewer plant (11/21/07)
Shelbyville has received a $24.8 million loan through the State Revolving Fund Loan Program to upgrade and expand the city's wastewater treatment plant. Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage system manager David Crowell said he is very pleased with the announcement and is looking forward to progressing with the project...

Cable / phone fight heats up again (11/16/07)
The cable television industry is gearing up for another fight in the Tennessee State Legislature against AT&T, which is planning to promote a bill next year that the cable industry claims would hurt consumers by dismantling the local franchise law. However, AT&T claims that a handful of cable companies continue to enjoy a monopoly on video service and that the current method of obtaining local cable franchises is "a lengthy, expensive process that just doesn't make sense."�...

Simons did report promptly after all (11/14/07)
Miscommunication was apparently the culprit behind the county's solid waste authority not being aware that information describing the source of sludge brought into the county had already been submitted. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farm Trucking, LLC about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county...

Bell Buckle water users asked to conserve (11/14/07)
Water was once again the main topic for Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with officials looking at a drought management plan and asking their water customers to cut back on usage. The board voted to ask residents to voluntarily reduce normal consumption of essential and domestic use by 10 percent and non-essential use by 15 percent, which are the Stage 1 restrictions being implemented in Bedford and surrounding counties...

River group will play watchdog role (11/13/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- As Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) conducted its kickoff membership meeting at Henry Horton State Park last week, a member of another watershed group told what's done to protect a river near his home. "We find violators all the time and report them," said Michael Cain, watershed assessment and restoration coordinator for the Franklin-based Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA), who indicated similar steps could be taken for the Duck River...

Waste info sought by SWA members (11/09/07)
Bedford County Solid Waste Authority continues to request information on the types of waste that are brought into the county. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farms about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county. Concerns had been brought to SWA's attention by citizens about sludge dumping in various parts of the county...

Duck River watershed group organizing (11/07/07)
A steering committee of environmental activists is holding a "kick-off" meeting Friday morning at Room A of the Henry Horton State Park Inn, where they're inviting area residents to join them in the formation of the Duck River Watershed Association. "These are people who are concerned about the water allocation issues," says Sherry Beard, spokeswoman for the steering committee, which has received financial assistance from the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association to cover costs including a charter...

Utilities baffled by state info (11/03/07)
Transportation, water and wastewater are two of the top infrastructure needs of Bedford County, according to a report released by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). But while TACIR corrected figures for Bedford County schools, other amounts remain unchanged. Local officials are still scratching their heads, wondering where TACIR got its data...

DRA will make pitch to Spring Hill (11/03/07)
The Duck River Agency's executive director is scheduled to make a pitch to Spring Hill aldermen that, in the face of drought, it's logical to join with other governments in the watershed to protect water quality and supply. Doug Murphy, executive of the Shelbyville-based agency, says he'll advocate regional water supply planning at Spring Hill City Hall on Nov. 13, a date recommended by Mayor Danny Leverette...

DRA asks Spring Hill to join water conservation efforts (11/01/07)
To bring another city into their joint effort to conserve water in the face of continued drought, Duck River Agency officials were scheduled to meet with Spring Hill leaders this morning. It's a result of discussions at Henry Horton State Park last Thursday when directors of the Shelbyville-based five-county agency noted the fast-growing Maury County city isn't a member of the agency created to protect water quality and supply...

Normandy flow may be cut further: DRA (10/27/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- Steps are already being taken to be ready if another request is deemed necessary for further restrictions in the release of water through Normandy Dam because of continued drought. "This reduction may not get it," Duck River Agency Executive Director Doug Murphy told nearly 50 state and local officials from five counties on Thursday, shortly after a second phase of water conservation started at Normandy Lake...

Water supply helped little by downpours (10/24/07)
The skies finally opened up this week and gave the region some much needed rain, but one area official says the situation with our water supply is a long way from getting back to normal. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said that this week’s rainfall wouldn’t be enough “to get us out of the condition we’re in.”...

DRA, officials to discuss dam issues (10/24/07)
More than four dozen elected leaders from the five-county area of the Duck River watershed have been invited to Henry Horton State Park on Thursday night, when they’re to be advised of circumstances surrounding the reduction in water released by Normandy Dam...

Normandy flow reduced (10/19/07)
The flow of water from Normandy Reservoir has been reduced by the Tennessee Valley Authority, even as the area experienced a rare rainfall this week. But one area utility official says that the lake is at the lowest level he’s ever seen and much more precipitation is needed before the situation can improve...

Sidewalks at Harris to be funded by state grant (10/19/07)
Harris Middle School has been awarded $150,500 in Safe Routes to School funds. The funds will be used to construct approximately 4,000 linear feet of sidewalk in the vicinity of the school. Funds will also be used to provide an educational program focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety and promotional activities to encourage walking and biking as a safe and healthy initiative...

Usage restrictions may be ahead (10/16/07)
A total of a quarter of a million people were asked last month to voluntarily cut back on their water usage. But without significant rainfall, mandatory restrictions could be coming our way by the end of the year. "This is a fairly historic drought," Randall Braker, general manager for the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) said Monday, possibly approaching the 100 year drought level, he said...

Mussel delays decisions on water (10/16/07)
Area utility officials received word Tuesday from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that an agreement has been reached over the reduction of the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir. Officials had been waiting for issues between the federal utility and environmentalists to be ironed out before the reduction could occur...

BCUD customers asked to conserve (10/13/07)
Bedford County Utility District has adopted a water shortage management plan, due to the level of Normandy Lake, and has issued a call for voluntary water conservation by BCUD customers. Voluntary conservation is requested because Normandy Lake's level is lower than 864 feet above sea level, BCUD Commissioner Randy Head said Saturday, explaining how the system works. ...

Sludge dumping is legal, waste board told (10/12/07)
Members of Bedford County Solid Waste Authority board of directors were told Thursday night that the sludge dumping reported to them last month was perfectly legal. The authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farm about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county. ...

Gordon seeks 9-1-1 protection for VOIP users (10/11/07)
U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon's legislation to improve public safety by ensuring the reliability of 9-1-1 calls made from Internet phone services is progressing through the U.S. House of Representatives. On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet cleared Gordon's 9-1-1 Modernization and Public Safety Act, H.R. 3403, for full committee consideration...

Work starts soon on Bell Buckle sewer upgrade (10/10/07)
Work is progressing on an equalization basin for Bell Buckle's wastewater system, the town's board was told Tuesday. According to environmental engineer Jim Patterson, work on the basin should begin later this week or early next week. The basin is required to comply with a Director's Order issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) concerning problems with the sewer system in 2005...

Quality will be checked if Duck's flow is cut (10/06/07)
Duck River water quality will be closely monitored if the Tennessee Valley Authority grants a state request to combat drought conditions by releasing less water from Normandy Dam. Paul Sloan, deputy commissioner for Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said as much on Friday in his request to Bridgette K. Ellis, TVA's senior vice president of environment and research...

BCUD, Shelbyville agree on water line transfer (10/04/07)
An agreement has been reached and signed for Shelbyville's municipal water system to acquire some of Bedford County Utility District's jurisdiction just outside city limits. The exchange grew from a property owner's request in early summer 2006 when Eddie Crowell of Jackson, son of W.J. Crowell of Shelbyville, sought city sewer service for 126 acres southwest of U.S. 41-A North...

Group wants dam release reduced (10/03/07)
Utility officials who met last week in Columbia expect that less water will be released through Normandy Dam this month due to drought conditions. Leaders of utilities in the Duck River watershed met Sept. 26 at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation offices...

UPDATED: Water use restrictions implemented (09/21/07)
Local utility officials are implementing a voluntary Stage 1 water use reduction plan due to the dwindling amount available in Normandy Reservoir. However, mandatory restrictions would be imposed if the level of the reservoir continues to drop and the area could face a severe shortage of water by the end of the year if conditions do not improve....

SWA studies recycling, hears dumping complaint (09/14/07)
Recycling in neighboring Coffee County and a complaint about sludge dumping were the topics of discussion for the county's Solid Waste Authority Thursday afternoon. Last month, Chairman Bobby Vannatta asked recycling coordinator Gay Ervin and Stanley Smotherman contact the Coffee County Recycling Center to see how it is done after receiving calls and letters from citizens concerned about the lack of plastic recycling in the county...

Wartrace plans water system upgrade (09/13/07)
Improving Wartrace's water system while keeping their customer's rates low is something that town's council will be looking at in the future. Mayor Don Gallagher calls the idea "a work in progress" but the council hopes to make much needed upgrades to the system that not only supplies water to Wartrace, but also to Bell Buckle and to residents that live in that area of Bedford County...

Electrical outage closes Cascade (09/10/07)
An electrical outage, the cause of which is still unknown, cancelled classes at Cascade High School today, although Cascade Elementary School next door was unaffected and remains open on its normal schedule. Power was disrupted to the high school Sunday afternoon, according to School Superintendent Ed Gray, and the decision was made about 7 p.m. Sunday to cancel classes for today...

Utilities to give water to those with dry wells (09/05/07)
County Mayor Eugene Ray signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring Bedford County "drought-ridden" and authorizing local water plants to make water available to those who don't have "city water" and whose wells or springs have gone dry as a result of the recent hot, dry weather...

No water restrictions here ... yet (08/28/07)
While Gov. Phil Bredesen is asking everyone in the state to conserve water, local utilities say that Bedford County has enough of the wet stuff ... at least for the present. Bob Finney of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System said Monday that water restrictions may be coming in the future, but not now. It all depends on the rain...

Backflow rules cause backlash (08/21/07)
State regulations now require water systems to guard against backflow -- the process by which water can be drawn from a customer's system back into the public water system. There's wide agreement on the need for backflow prevention, and understanding of the fact that it's a state requirement. But the devil is in the details, and the differences between the way that two local water systems are enforcing the rule has some rural pool owners seeing red...

Power rates going up (08/20/07)
Customers with Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer and the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation [DREMC] will be seeing another rate hike beginning in October. Both David Crowell, general manager for Shelbyville Power, and DREMC Director of Member Service Charles McDonald confirmed Friday that they will be passing the latest fuel cost adjustment from the Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA] to their customers...

Normandy Lake keeps local water flowing (08/15/07)
"If wasn't for Normandy Reservoir, we'd be looking at water rationing." But thankfully, said Bedford County Utility District [BCUD] General Manager Marty Davis, we do have plenty of the wet stuff and they are pumping it to their customers at record levels during this summer's continuing drought...

BCUD considers transferring lines to city (08/13/07)
Bedford County Utility District (BCUD) commissioners are sending a contract to Shelbyville's utility board for the sale of some of the rural district's jurisdiction to the city as another step in more than a year of discussions. While the potential agreement affects a relatively small territory, the discussions between the utilities raise growth issues for both governments and the people they serve, largely because water and sewer are basic services...

Solid Waste Authority explores plastic recycling (08/10/07)
The county's Solid Waste Authority will be looking into the idea of opening a location where plastic could be dropped off to be recycled. Chairman Bobby Vannatta asked recycling coordinator Gay Ervin and Stanley Smotherman contact the Coffee County Recycling Center to see how it is done...

Utilities keeping up with the heat (08/10/07)
With the air conditioners steadily humming as the area bakes under a stifling heat wave, utility companies in Bedford County are handling the power demands well, officials say. David Crowell, general manager for Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer said Thursday that that they are able to handle the demand for the blue spark "just fine."...

Proposed sewer plant gets favorable environmental report (08/08/07)
Shelbyville's new wastewater treatment plant has been given an environmental assessment and a "Finding of No Significant Impact" by the state Department of Environment and Conservation [TDEC]. Funding for the new plant, designed to handle 6.5 million gallons a day, was approved last month by the Shelbyville City Council. The project is estimated to cost around $25 million...

Six local bridges structurally deficient (08/07/07)
A total of six bridges in Bedford County have been classified as "structurally deficient" by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. (TDOT) TDOT states that while they track deficiencies in state bridges, the list released "by no means indicates a safety issue with the bridges."...

Smotherman says local bridges are safe (08/03/07)
With collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis on Wednesday, residents may have concerns about the safety of Bedford County bridges. Divers continue to check submerged cars in the Mississippi River following the collapse. Five people are confirmed dead, though authorities lowered the number of missing, once feared as many as 30, to eight...

Bell Buckle borrows $1M for sewer repairs (08/01/07)
Bell Buckle Board of Aldermen and Mayor approved borrowing $1 million to pay for state mandated improvements to their ailing sewer system on Tuesday during a special called meeting. Also approved were bids for the main part of the project: a 1 million-gallon equalization tank for the town's sewer plant...

Not all local residents have broadband access (07/30/07)
Bedford County lags behind some of its neighbors to the north and east in access to broadband Internet, according to a map published by the Nashville-based non-profit Connected Tennessee. Broadband refers to high-speed Internet service, usually meaning either cable internet (provided by cable TV companies like Charter Communications) or DSL (provided by telephone companies like BellSouth / AT&T). ...

Courthouse sewage problem could be expensive (07/18/07)
Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray said Tuesday night he is using emergency purchase powers to repair drainage problems which caused sewage to back up into the basement of the courthouse several times in the past two weeks. Ray warned the county commission's courthouse and county property committee that the project could be "quite expensive" and that he doesn't yet have an idea how much it will cost...

Bell Buckle looks at sewer options (07/19/07)
Water and sewer issues continued to be the main topic of discussion for Bell Buckle Tuesday as they approved a telemetry system for the water system and looked over funding options for their ailing sewer system. The Board of Mayor and Alderman gave their approval to purchasing the telemetry system, which will be used check the levels of all the system's tanks and pumps remotely...

South Main intersection closed (07/18/07)
Work is being done on a potentially dangerous intersection in Shelbyville that will slightly reroute traffic, but should help to prevent accidents. The section of South Main Street that directly intersects South Brittain Street has been closed and is being removed...

Bacteria too high in some county streams (07/17/07)
A recent water quality assessment by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) reveals that several Bedford County streams have unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria. Two sections of the Duck River reportedly is contaminated with Escherichia coli [E. coli] due to discharges from storm sewer systems and "collection system failure" according to the report...

DREMC goes geothermal with HVAC system (07/06/07)
You may have noticed those two huge drilling rigs in front of the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation [DREMC] headquarters on Madison Street this week, but they aren't looking for oil or natural gas. Instead, DREMC has decided to be a leader in demonstrating energy efficiency by installing the most effective method, a geothermal heating and cooling system...

Flat Creek co-op gets federal assistance (06/27/07)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funds totaling $1.31 million will allow the Flat Creek Water Cooperative Inc. to serve new customers, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced. "The project will serve 40 new customers in the southern portion of Flat Creek Water Co-operative's service area near Highway 82, giving more residents access to a reliable, safe supply of water," Gordon said...

BCUD requires backflow prevention (06/21/07)
"Water, water everywhere," begins a Lewis Carroll poem from the famed book "Alice In Wonderland," in which the character makes the all-important statement, "but not a drop to drink." Thanks to the efforts of the employees of the Bedford County Utility District (BCUD), the county's water system is safe and ready to drink...

Telemetry system may help stem Bell Buckle water losses (06/13/07)
With an average of a 30 percent water loss this year, Bell Buckle is looking at purchasing a telemetry system to monitor the status of that town's water system. Alderman Mark Felices has been researching the idea so that water mangers would be able to check the levels of all the system's tanks and pumps remotely, saving workers the time of having to drive to each location to check the levels manually...

Cross-connection is an issue for lawn care (06/09/07)
The next time you turn on your faucet, thank local water providers and their cross-connection systems for the safety of the water that flows from the pipe. Wayne Cook of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System is a member of the cross-connection department, a division that could just save lives...

Power board member selection in doubt (06/08/07)
Complex legal questions are still surrounding the Shelbyville City Council election of a Power Board member which took place last month. The city is currently seeking further legal opinions from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service [MTAS] over the matter and may even ask for an opinion from the Tennessee State Attorney General...

Future projects may reduce sewer smell (05/30/07)
Manager David Crowell of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System says that an odor reported to the Times-Gazette by callers southwest of the square is the typical smell which emanates from the sewage treatment plant during the heat -- and that SPWSS has both short-term and long-term plans for addressing it...

Drought hits farms but not city water supply (05/21/07)
While the dry weather has caused much concern for area farmers, it hasn't impacted the local water supply, at least, not yet. David Crowell, general manager of the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System says while the Duck River is down and Normandy Lake is several feet below its summer pool, the water supply for Shelbyville is fine...

Cedar Ridge expansion approved (04/24/07)
LEWISBURG -- Cedar Ridge Landfill in Marshall County may eventually get to use an 11-acre section of its repository for solid waste because of an 11-7 vote Monday night by county commissioners here. The planned expansion adds enough room for about eight years of trash deliveries, instead of about 2-1/2 years, according to officials with Waste Management Inc. who say they're pleased to be able to continue their "partnership" with the county...

Relax: City water's safe, report says (04/20/07)
Shelbyville residents have received notices from their utility company this week stating that their drinking water is safe. The 2007 Shelbyville Water Quality Report states that the drinking water taken from the Duck River meets all federal Environment Protection Agency [EPA] health standards...

AT&T wants to bypass local franchising (04/16/07)
LEWISBURG -- Competition for cable TV customers lowered rates elsewhere and a state senator is sponsoring legislation to create statewide franchising for companies delivering TV channels through wires, he said Friday night. "This bill just passed in Georgia, and in other states we've seen, on average, a reduction of $25 a month" in cable bills, Sen. ...

Industries dragging feet on recycling report (04/13/07)
The county's report on recycling to the state will not be as robust as in previous years, according to Gay Ervin, who handles the county's recycling program. Last month, Ervin noted that only about half of the county's industries had responded to her request for recycling numbers to turn into the state. She told the Solid Waste Authority Thursday that not all industries had reported in with recycling numbers as they had in previous years...

Bell Buckle residents must pay for sewer repairs (04/11/07)
About half the residents of Bell Buckle will soon be receiving letters from the town requesting that leaks in their sewer service line be repaired. The town recently conducted smoke testing on the sewer line around Bell Buckle and, according to water manager Ronnie Lokey, 84 of some 160 households in the community were found to have leaks in their service lines...

Cable TV bill takes legislative spotlight (04/09/07)
State Rep. Curt Cobb is holding a hearing today in Nashville on what's been dubbed the AT&T bill to create statewide franchises for cable TV companies instead of having them licensed by cities and counties. Shelbyville city council members, like those representing them through the Tennessee Municipal League, oppose statewide franchising of cable TV because there was no requirement to provide service to government buildings like schools. ...

Household Hazardous Waste event April 14 (04/05/07)
If you've got a garage full of stuff you can't get rid of by throwing in the trash, then mark Saturday, April 14, on your calendar. That's when the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservations mobile household hazardous waste (HHW) collection service will be arriving in Bedford County. The event will be at Big Springs parking lot in Shelbyville from 8 a.m. until noon...

BCUD, lawyer spar over water use (03/28/07)
Attempts are continuing to settle a criminal charge brought against a Bedford County man who was accused in 2005 of stealing water from Bedford County Utility District. Charged in December 2005 is Sam France Minner, 65, of Warner Bridge Road who was accused by BCUD Operations Manager Willie West of having cut a lock off a meter and turning water service back on two years ago this month...

Wartrace to seek water grant (03/16/07)
Wartrace's Board of Mayor and Aldermen has approved applying for a Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] for a water rehabilitation project. The total project cost is estimated to be $330,000, with a grant amount totaling $280,500. The required matching contributions of $49,500, or 15 percent, would be provided by Wartrace...

Bid accepted for roll-off truck (03/10/07)
Bedford County's Solid Waste Authority accepted a bid Thursday for a roll-off truck for the department. The bid from Cumberland International was accepted for a cost of $104,491, but is subject to availability. If the desired model is not available, then a similar model can be obtained for $2,000 more...

Developers want access to city water (03/09/07)
A couple of developers and a farmer who wants to sell land for subdivisions left the Bedford County Utility District meeting Thursday night saying they'd been put between the city utility and the utility district in situations similar to one that's been festering since last summer...

Council opposes AT&T proposal (03/09/07)
Shelbyville's city council passed a resolution stating its opposition to an upcoming state bill concerning cable television franchising rights and possible competition in the area. AT&T, formerly known as BellSouth, wants to change Tennessee state law to permit companies "willing to compete with the monopoly cable TV providers" to get a statewide franchise to provide cable services themselves...

To bee or not to bee in tree (03/08/07)
It's rare when the Shelbyville Public Works Department generates a buzz in town, but that just what department employees were doing Wednesday, with help from local beekeepers who were called in to help move a massive beehive. City workers used heavy equipment to bring down a rotting tree behind a home on Michael Lane. The tree was causing a drainage problem, but another issue cropped up when it was discovered that an enormous colony of bees has taken up housekeeping inside the tree...

Growth potential apparent to BCUD (03/07/07)
With nearly 120 new home water taps sought from the Bedford County Utility District Board that meets Thursday night, the system's manager says he knows more requests are on the was because of action by Shelbyville officials. "It's just a sign that there's growth potential out there," BCUD General Manager Marty Davis said Tuesday while discussing the items to be considered at the utility board's meeting set to begin at 7 p.m. in its offices on Bethany Lane...

SPWSS approves customer records policy (02/28/07)
A new policy on the release of public records was adopted on Tuesday by directors of city utilities here. To find people who owe him money, a local businessman has sought their addresses from the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System, according to discussion among members of the utilities' board...

Top DRA leaders reflect (02/26/07)
As new appointees to the Duck River Agency board are anticipated next month, two of the agency's long-time directors reflect on several old ideas that have been considered by agency leaders, although action on them may be closer with new leadership...

Wartrace seeks water grant (02/21/07)
Wartrace has applied for Community Development Block Grant funds in cooperation with Bedford County to assist in extending water lines. The total project cost is estimated to be $308,642, with a grant amount totaling $250,000. The required matching contributions of $58,642 would be provided by Wartrace...

Lack of quorum delays DRA decisions (02/20/07)
The Duck River Agency, which has more than $10 million collected from water utilities in this and four other counties, has three openings on its board of directors that hasn't been able to hold its quarterly meeting because there was no quorum. A Columbia banker sought advice on what to do about a discrepancy between documents on how the $10 million can be invested to generate more money for water projects. ...

What to do with $10.5 million (02/15/07)
Directors of the Duck River Agency headquartered here are to consider a conflict tonight on how they can invest $10.5 million. The agency created to protect water quality and supplies in the Duck River's five-county watershed receives money from water utilities in the area and is to spend it for the improvement of those supplies...

BCUD negotiations stalled again (02/12/07)
Subdivision developers will have to assure adequate water pressure for fire hydrants in new neighborhoods built in Shelbyville where water service is to be from Bedford County Utility District. That's the consensus of the rural water board commissioners when reacting to new subdivision regulations in the city, rules that start as talks stalled on how the city might acquire some of BCUD's service area along U.S. 41A...

BCUD to discuss 41-A water service (02/07/07)
Negotiations on how the rural water district might relinquish some of its service area to the city utility have taken a couple of steps forward, but they stubbed their toe on the most recent issue. Bedford Utility District General Manager Marty Davis is to provide details to his board of commissioners Thursday night at 7 when the extension of water mains along three rural roads will also be discussed...

Bell Buckle planners call for resolution to go (01/19/07)
Bell Buckle's planning commission recommended that a controversial water resolution be rescinded due to several "technical issues" that had arisen. The commission also asked that after rescinding the move that the topic come back to them for more study...

BCUD to read meters the high-tech way (01/15/07)
New gas and water meters in the Bedford County Utility District will be read by a computer receiving a radio signal from the meters. On Thursday, BCUD commissioners approved plans to have meter readers do so while seated in a vehicle. Therefore, radio signaled meters will allow a "drive by reading," BCUD General Manager Marty Davis said...

Support evaporates for water extension (01/11/07)
A pipeline extension to provide water at new homes on the border between Bedford and Rutherford counties won't be built, according to one of the people who wanted service from Bedford County Utility District. Interest has apparently evaporated among those who could have banded together for a pipe estimated at 1,600 feet, but at a trenching cost of $10 a foot, it's too expensive for one household, Clarence Nelson said Tuesday...

Taps can be added in Bell Buckle (01/10/07)
A water moratorium was lifted by Bell Buckle's town council Tuesday and changes were made to a resolution passed last month that restricts taps to persons living outside that community's city limits. Several landowners from outside the town's corporate limits took issue with the move, which they claim is taking away their rights to do what they want to with their property...

DREMC will stay with TVA; withdraws notice (01/09/07)
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation has decided to stay with the Tennessee Valley Authority as its power supplier and has withdrawn the notice, issued in August 2003, that it was leaving the TVA system. DREMC announced the decision in a news release Monday afternoon...

BCUD strikes gas deal (12/28/06)
Bedford County Utility District officials say the utility's natural gas customers will save several dollars annually for 20 years because of a deal struck last week for the purchase of fuel at a below market price. BCUD General Manager Marty Davis explained the contract Wednesday morning, acknowledging, "The effect on our gas customers won't be too much, but every little bit helps."...

BCUD wants new agreement with Bell Buckle (12/18/06)
With conversation described as confusing by some commissioners, the Bedford County Utility District Board last week voted 4-1 to have a new water sale contract with Bell Buckle. Despite their debate over when the pending contract, as submitted by the town, might be renewed and/or altered, the commissioners' discussion indicates that they want to negotiate a different price for water sold to Bell Buckle...

BCUD tells contractor to proceed (12/15/06)
Bedford County Utility District commissioners on Thursday told a Wartrace contractor to proceed on a $249,000 pipeline so water may be extended to nearly 100 people living west of Shelbyville. A pre-construction conference with the low bidder, Hawkins & Price Construction of Wartrace, will be conducted shortly after the first of the year, according to Buddy Koonce, BCUD's consulting engineer...

Cave water may supply Chapel Hill (12/14/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Water from a cave has been found to be just right, thank you, for Jack Daniel's, George Dickel's and Granny Fish's products and now it's to be so for this north Marshall County town. Testing of a system to draw water from a cave was anticipated late this week by Town Administrator Mike Hatten who recently conducted a tour at what's been known as the Mary Fort Cave on property purchased by the town for about $32,000...

Bell Buckle water system can handle growth (12/14/06)
Bell Buckle's water system appears to be in good shape and can handle demands in the future, according to a capacity analysis done for the small town. According to environmental engineer Jim Patterson, much of their water system can serve "reasonable growth within the system without sacrificing the quality of service being provided," and that there are only certain areas that would require upgrades, limited primarily to line size...

Chapel Hill agrees on sewer extension (12/13/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Agreements were approved Monday by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen with a Unionville contractor and a Lewisburg Realtor in connection with the town's extension of a sewer main into recently-annexed areas. The agreements are another indication of continued growth at the north Marshall County town where on Monday night another developer, David Jent, spoke with the town board about progress at the second phase of his Stony Brook subdivision...

Siren will warn of chlorine leak (12/08/06)
A new siren on Eagle Boulevard will notify surrounding facilities -- including several schools -- in the event of a