Franklin Drinking Water Plant

City of Franklin low head dam on Harpeth, August 20, 2007. Low head dam,
right foot on wall left foot on five plus feet of built up sediment behind dam.
Visible lowering of water level behind dam between 1 and 5 pm.

March 6, 2008
Supplier says city can buy as much as wants, needs
Williamson Herald
by Mindy Tate, Editor

January 16, 2008
47-year-old Harpeth River dam holds key to water plant debate
The Tennessean
by Kevin Walters, Staff Writer

Check out the Archives on the Issue

SUCCESS on the City of Franklin’s
drinking water permitting issue!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who worked with us in so many ways on the Franklin drinking water withdrawal permitting issue.

On Wednesday, TDEC issued a permit to the City of Franklin that now governs its withdrawals of water for its drinking water plant. They city had proposed setting a base flow of 5 cfs (cubic feet per second) and withdrawal rate of 20% of the water from flows above that limit. This base flow was so low that TDEC determined that it would degrade the river and thus could not approve that proposal unless there was economic necessity. It is economically feasible for Franklin to receive all its water from HVUD (Harpeth Valley Utility District), therefore there is no economic necessity to approve degrading the river.

Additional Documentation on the Permit
TDEC Cover Letter to ARAP Permit
TDEC Notice of Determination
ARAP Permit for City of Franklin

TDEC’s permit sets the base flow at twice the city’s proposal (to 10 cfs). The city’s consultants reported last summer that at this base flow, there was not enough water in the river to operate a LARGER drinking water plant economically—it would be idle too much in the summer. A new plant the same size as the current one will also not operate year round during dry years.

TDEC not only set a higher base flow to stay in the river, TDEC is requiring the city to study the feasibility of removing the low head dam. This is the result of our efforts that engaged other agencies who are interested in funding the removal of these low head dams to improve fish habitat and recreation.

TDEC also is requiring the city to establish how they will measure the river’s flow at their withdrawal and install automatic shut-off systems. These and other mechanical issues were all raised by HRWA and experts since the city wanted to use the gages BELOW their withdrawal site as the way to run their operations. Our work this summer showed that the data from the USGS gage BELOW the city’s operations were highly compromised (especially by the excessively leaky city reservoir). This dramatically affected the city consultant’s analyses and made the river look like there was MORE water in it than there really would be.

TDEC also analyzed the affect of withdrawing water on the ability of the river to handle the sewage effluent that the city and two other sewer plants put into the river only five miles down from the drinking water outtake. This is also a big victory for our efforts to connect all the various permitted activities on the river and the next effort with the permits on the sewer plants that are up for renewal.

News Articles:

The Tennessean, Monday, 12/03/07
Bredesen calls for water-supply cooperation
Governor says it makes no sense for towns to act alone
by Erik Schelzig

The Tennessean, Friday, 11/30/07
Franklin gets permit to expand water plant
Schroer, though, wants city to be less dependent on Harpeth River
By Kevin Walters