John Coffelt, Editor

In an ongoing negotiation between the County, Manchester City and a group of county residents, the County Health Welfare and Recreation Committee voted Aug. 28 to fund smaller four-inch water lines for the residents on JE Sartain Road.

If approved at the lesser amount, residents along JE Sartain Rd would be required to fund the difference.

The group of residents approached the two governments well over a year ago with a plan to split the project costs between the city, who would do the installation, and the county, who would supply the pipes. Initially the residents would dig the trenches for the pipes, but that idea was rejected early on.

In the years since, the project has gotten approval on both sides only to be met with problems. Initially, Former Manchester Mayor Marilyn Howard vetoed the project suggesting the city should use all available resources to repair the sewer problems for the city’s current customers. Then the question of engineering reports arose and who would fund that.

During recent Water Commission meetings MWD Director Jeffery Perry suggested that line should make a pressure loop, connecting to a six-inch line at the other end of JE Sartain Road at 16 Model Road.

The cost estimates provided to the county were $71,000 for six-inch lines or $34,000 for four-inch lines. The six-inch quote does not include fire hydrants, while the four-inch line would not likely provide enough water flow for a hydrant.  

Commissioner Tim Morris said that he was told by MWD that the city did not want to run four-inch water lines because it’s six inches on top and four inches at the lower end of the road. The line is to be about three-fourths of a mile rather than a dead-end line that stops at the creek.

Morris suggested that the county has only purchased four-inch lines for other rural areas in the past.

“There’s four inch all throughout the county that we’ve paid for,” Morris said. “At least we’re doing what’s fair.”

Commissioner Dwight Miller suggested it would set a bad precedence.

“I don’t think the county is in the business of water,” Miller said. “If we’re going to contribute to get it going, we ought to get some claw back and get a percentage of the revenue.”

HWR passed the motion made by Morris to fund up to $35,000 for the project by a 3-1 vote with Miller offering the dissenting vote.  

Spokesperson for the residents, Judy Pugh, said she didn’t think the residents could raise the difference in cost.

“I don’t think that they can (raise the difference),” she said. “

Manchester Water Commission member and Vice Mayor Mark Messick told the Times the two governments need to learn to think ahead and plan for future expansion.

“Those folks that live on JE Sartain Rd have needed city water for a long time, and I have tried to get it for them and have been met with resistance from the city every time I tried. It’s just being short sighted to put in a four-inch line. I trust what the city is asking for. It seems that there are a lot of lines in the county that are too small to provide fire protection,” Messick said.

Morris said a recent structure fire that destroyed a house near Normandy Reservoir was near a fire hydrant on Cathey Ridge Road that does not have fire flow because it is on a four-inch line.

“It’s useless, it’s there for show,” he said.

County Budget and Finance Committee will hear the matter on Sept. 25. If it passes there it could be on the County Commission agenda during the October meeting.

Pugh approached the two governments with concerns by the residents who cannot get clean water from their wells.

During the May 2025 Water Commission meeting, Pugh returned with concerns that the process was stalling.

“We were informed in February that city water would be available by this summer, 2025. We are hoping for an update on the timeline and confirmation of this commitment,” she told the board.

“In April, we received disappointing news regarding water access on JE Sartain Road. Please keep in mind that this road is only 1. 71 miles long and is located near Normandy Lake.

The area currently lacks adequate water supply, some of whom rely on insufficient or unsafe sources.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.