June 22, 2026
Manchester hit with $146,000 in penalties for 2025 sewer discharges
John Coffelt, Editor
On Feb. 9, The City of Manchester was served a violation by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for failing to follow conditions of its wastewater discharge permit for allegedly discharging untreated sewer from sewer overflows throughout the year.
According to an order served to the city, the municipality has been fined $146,000 with an upfront portion of $29,200 being charged within 31 days.
The order cites 108 incidents and an estimated 25,333,795 gallons of untreated sewage being released during 2025.
After analyzing historical Monthly Operating Reports from the city from 2012, then from 2019-22, TDEC concluded “(infiltration and inflow) consistently comprised between 70% and 76% pf total inflow into the POTW indicating no evidence of reduction in I&I.” It further alleged that the city had improperly operated and maintained the collection system.
A portion of the order will also shift the city from a self-imposed moratorium to having to submit any new connections subject to the moratorium to TDEC for approval.
Potentially, moratorium relief credit can be granted based on data collected from flow monitoring from the last four years.
A general permit for Little Leaf Farms for its 103.4-acre site was specifically named in the order. The order will allow the plant to connect to the system and come online but will be required to verify an alleviation project that would mitigate the volume of wastewater generated potentially using an equalization basin to hold back flow during heavy rain events.
The city is ordered to provide TDEC with an updated map of the wastewater collection system with chronic overflow points within 180 days of April 27.
The city has the option to appeal the order, and an administrative judge has the authority to modify, deny or uphold the order.
Mayor Joey Hobbs said in a statement on social media that the city takes the enforcement action of TDEC seriously.
“We will comply with the state administered moratorium and TDEC requirements. This means that TDEC will be approving all taps. We have a good working relationship with TDEC, and that will continue,” Hobbs said.
The problems that our water and sewer experience,” Hobbs said, “did not occur overnight, and they are not going to be remedied overnight. We are going to confront our challenges head on until our system meets all requirements and standards.”
“As most citizens are aware, the system issues identified in the TDEC order developed over a number of years,” Hobbs said.
“Two months into my tenure, the EPA conducted an audit on MWSD. At that time, we were placed under an EPA moratorium for a year. Shortly after taking office, we contracted with Duke’s Root Control and began extensive repair of our sewer system. We have now removed 250,000 gallons a day of I&I filtration,” he said.
The fine that has been imposed by TDEC is because of the overflows from January of 2024 to December of 2025, yes 2 years of overflows. It is correct that I approved 7 sewer taps.
In 2025, seven taps were approved, Hobbs added to the statement. Those seven taps he said added a combined total of 2,100 gallons into the system.
“The fine that has been imposed by TDEC is because of the overflows from January of 2024 to December of 2025, yes 2 years of overflows. It is correct that I approved 7 sewer taps,” 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.
