TDEC: 41 municipalities to share in more than $203M in ARP grants
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has announced 41 municipalities will share in 43 grants totaling more than $203 million that will finance more than 130 drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects.
The $203,244,525 in grants come from state’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) fund and include 14 collaborative grants and 29 non-collaborative grants. These bring the total ARP funds awarded by TDEC to $401,694,562 since August.
A total of 16 cities will benefit from the 14 collaborative grants. These include $1,989,846 to Dickson, in collaboration with the Water Authority of Dickson County, will use ARP funds to modernize facilities and equipment for wastewater systems and manage risk and resilience to extreme weather events
Dunlap, in collaboration with Sequatchie County, will use $2,837,193 in ARP funds to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan, address water loss in the service area through the installation of approximately 20 boundary meters along the Dunlap Water System's pipe, and the replacement of pipes and accessories creating a reoccurring water loss prevention program.
Gibson, in collaboration with Gibson County, received $683,498 to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan and focus on reducing (I/I) in the wastewater system and replacing system lines that are more than 50 years old.
Greeneville will receive $2,346,912 to address aging infrastructure and modernize drinking water and wastewater equipment while the city of Hohenwald will receive $4,332,532, in collaboration with Lewis County, to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan and make improvements to the wastewater system.
In collaboration with Carroll County, McLemoresville will use $850,512 to a comprehensive Asset Management Plan and address critical needs, such as the replacement of aged water valves and meters and the installation of a new water line.
Pikeville will work with Bledsoe County to use $3,357,399 to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan, and for the construction of a new sludge treatment facility in an effort to compensate for increased sludge flow in the area.
Working with Marion County, South Pittsburg will utilize $1,393,628 to alleviate capacity issues and renew aging infrastructure, including building a new flocculation basin as well as a new sediment basin.
Spring City will work with Rhea County to use $1,551,237 to replace an undersized and damaged water line, install a low-pressure force main, and cap the force main for future use. Additionally, the city will replace existing pumps with new grinder pumps within the low-pressure sewer system that have reached the end of their useful life.
The $9,637,392 awarded to Sullivan County will also benefit the municipalities of Bristol, Bluff City, and Kingsport as part of 13 drinking water and wastewater projects across the region aimed at improving resiliency and reliability by addressing issues with water lines, pump stations, and water treatment plants. Trimble will receive $935,315, in collaboration with Dyer County, for the replacement of two lift stations and the rehab of 2,500 linear feet of sewer lines.
The non-collaborative grants will see 27 cities share in 29 grants.
Chattanooga will utilize $16,667,052 to implement a comprehensive plan to restore the Wastewater Collection and Transmission System’s capacity, reduce (I/I) and sanitary sewer overflows, improve the reliability of wastewater collection system, and comply with state and federal regulations.
Erwin will use $1,504,154 to create an Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) Reduction and Elimination Plan and support a wastewater project and a stormwater project while Fayetteville will leverage $1,470,191 and State Revolving Fund (SRF) funding to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan and address the community’s critical need of excessive (I/I)
Gallaway will use $975,561 to address excessive (I/I) and include cleaning and monitoring of 16,000 linear feet in the system that are older than 50 years. Additional projects include the rehab of 12,885 linear feet with cured-in-place pipe lining methods and point repairs. Gainesboro will leverage $2,197,243 with SRF and U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to replace existing raw water intake and future replacement the existing water treatment plant.
Gordonsville will use $683,010 for renovation of the main pump station and the installation of higher efficiency equipment to improve solids handling and aeration in the treatment plant while Hollow Rock will use $704,545 to replace several water lines throughout the system, install 1,680 linear feet of new water lines, and the replace of aged water meters.
Huntingdon will use $1,389,471 to replace aerators that will allow for adequate treatment of water in the system while Lobelville will use $679,909 to reduce excessive (I/I) through the identification of problematic areas in the sewer system and implementation of appropriate improvements and modifications.
Lookout Mountain will use $663,338 to address excessive (I/I) during wet weather events as well as chronic sanitary sewer overflows and other improvement projects while Lynnville will utilize $581,400 to develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan and rehab the system to improve an integral system line and system equipment.
Memphis will use $102,639,945 for nine wastewater and nine drinking water projects to improve treatment processes at water treatment plants, including updates to the city’s filtration systems, and update aged plant components. Mount Carmel will use $1,448,730 for projects including repairing the system’s clarifier, installing a new drainage pump, and replacing the old sanitary sewer lift station.
Mt. Juliet will use $2,500,288 for the replacement of 9,000 linear feet of sewer lines to improve the significant (I/I) while Oneida will use $3,416,220 for improvements to the system’s water treatment plant that will reduce the volume of raw water required to produce the volume of potable water pumped into the distribution system.
Paris will use $1,887,631 to address the deterioration, erosion, and sedimentation present in the stormwater system while Ridgetop will use $746,563 for sewer rehab efforts to address excessive infiltration and inflow (I/I), as well as an extension of a sewer line by 7,600 linear feet. Ripley will leverage $1,770,145 with SRF funds to replace approximately 9,000 linear feet of 50-year-old asbestos cement line as well as wastewater asbestos cement lines, their asbestos cement water main, and water valves.
Rocky Top will use $1,376,111 to rehab 33,000 linear feet of sewer lines through pipe bursting, cured-in-place pipe lining, open cut repair, and manhole lining. Smyrna will use $3,880,604 for sewer rehab efforts that will address pipe bursting and includes the replacement of 4,000 linear feet of sewer lines, as well as manhole repair.
Soddy-Daisy will use $1,724,121 on three priority basins in the service area and include the rehab of approximately 9,300 linear feet of pipelines, 40 manholes, and 60 service laterals. Spencer will leverage $2,879,867 with SRF, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Natural Resources Conservation Service funding to replace the existing raw water intake and booster station to become the main water source for the city as well as address water quality and quantity concerns through the addition of a sedimentation basin as well as improvements to the distribution system.
Spring Hill will use $2,369,085 to replace and modernize aging assets, develop an inventory and condition assessment plan, and develop a planned Operations and Maintenance work order system. Tusculum will use $855,091 to expand the city's drip field and increase capacity for its wastewater system. Funding will also be used to connect the College Hills neighborhood to the wastewater system and eliminate faulty septic tanks and package systems.
Walden will use $685,680 to improve the conveyance system, subsequently protecting the watershed which includes improving the water quality of Little Falling Water Creek, Shoal Creek, Fairmount Branch, and other smaller tributaries in the community.
A $9,088,702 to Hamilton County will significantly reduce the number of sanitary sewer overflows and (I/I) to the Signal Mountain Sewage Treatment Plan.
Two cities also received both a collaborative grant and a non-collaborative grant.
The city of Pigeon Forge will collaborate with Gatlinburg and Sevier County to use $1,335,432 to conduct improvements to the centralized drinking water system serving those communities. Pigeon Forge also received a $135,769 non-collaborative grant that will improve resilience as the city addresses increased demand from the rising population and includes the development of a new intake and a raw water transmission line to supply the existing water treatment plant.
Signal Mountain will use $240,516 for a project including system interconnection in an effort to improve resiliency and reliability of the water supply. Signal Mountain also received a non-collaborative grant of $758,033 that will fund the replacement of a booster pump, the installation of a new pump station, and the implementation of a zone metering plan.
Claiborne County also received a collaborative grant of $2,801,212 and a non-collaborative grant of $3,273,422. Together, the grants will fund nine projects in the region including GIS mapping and focus on modernization and water loss reduction, replacement and repair of sewer manholes, addressing excessive infiltration and inflow (I/I), meter replacements, rehab of a water pump stations, several water line extensions, and dredging and expansion of backwash lagoon.
Cities and counties throughout the state were eligible to apply for these grants. Details of previous grant announcements may be found at this link, and additional grant announcements are expected soon.
TDEC’s strategy for deployment of ARP funds is described in the Water Infrastructure Investment Plan. This plan was developed by TDEC based on input from leaders and experts from agencies internal and external to state government. All funds from the ARP must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024 and expended by Dec. 31, 2026.