John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester’s growth is within acceptable parameters, according to Mayor Joey Hobbs’ report to the Manchester Water and Sewer Commission on Feb. 6

Hobbs said over three years the city has averaged 61 new single-family dwellings, 34 new multifamily dwellings and eight new duplexes.

Hobbs said that with those additions to the city, the city’s wastewater growth is at about 30,000-35,000 gallons of additional sewage per day for the plant that has a capacity of roughly 4 million gallons.

“It’s really not a great big number,” he said. “It’s still in our collection system where rain brings our treatable flow to 3 million gallons.”

Hobbs said that in meetings he’s attended with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), that agency has placed the city on what is now a self-imposed sewer moratorium.  

“There is a formula that they use for us to understand what we can bring online as far as what is considered new capacity,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs said that a repair to the city collection system that would reduce inflow and infiltration (I&I) of 50,000 gallons, doesn’t automatically give 50,000 gallons of additional new flow into the system.  However, there is a percentage of that amount that can be added without crossing the no new flow threshold in the language of the moratorium.        

“With everything that’s been passed there is about 500 new buildable lots in Manchester,” Hobbs said. “Nobody is going to come in and build 500 new houses this year, next year or the year after. They are not going to sell.”

“We don’t have a capacity problem,” Hobbs said.

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.