NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – We all need water to live, but fixing Tennessee’s water infrastructure can be pricey.
We’re talking as high as $15 billion over time, but the state is taking action. News 2 took a look at the three key areas officials want to fix next.
The December arctic blast snapped pipes and sent water into the streets.
“These are the types of things that you don’t really think about until there’s a problem,” said Jenn Tribble, policy director for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
Tribble said the state has funneled billions of dollars the past few years into fixing our water systems, but the job isn’t over yet.
“We’ve really tried to look at what are the most immediate impacts that we can make that will set up water systems to be on the right path forward,” Tribble said.
Right now, the state is focused on three key projects when it comes to water: regionalization, reuse, and resource protection. Each category has grant money tied to it from the Federal American Recovery Act.
“This is going to be a really long-term investment, continuous work to be done across the state.”
The first pot of money is $100 million for what water experts call regionalization. Take Sumner County which experienced a drought last summer and fall. Regionalization would get the many smaller, separate water utilities working together to save money and conserve water.
“If one system is having some concerns pop up, they can use their neighboring system to support them during those times,” Tribble said.
The second pot of money is $50 million for reuse, which essential is recycling highly treated wastewater to water lawns. In fact, Murfreesboro already does this.
“They have piping systems through their community that can take that water, and use it to do things like irrigate athletic fields,” Tribble said.
Third, $50 million for resource protection will help build green roofs and planting trees, projects that use the lush, green Middle Tennessee landscape to strengthen our water system.
“How we can harvest our natural or green systems to improve resilience and sustainability across the state…and also improve the water quality of the water shed that you are in?” Tribble said.
The state will award this grant money to municipalities and utilities over the next year.
