Monteagle Proceeds with $1.9 Million Rehab Project
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
“This has needed done for a long time,” said Monteagle Mayor Greg Maloof following the Monteagle Council’s approval of a resolution to proceed with a sewer rehabilitation project estimated to cost more than $1.9 million. The rehabilitation work will remedy inflow and infiltration (I&I) of groundwater into the sanitary sewer system. I&I puts strain on Monteagle’s wastewater treatment plant and costs the town money. The plant must treat the groundwater in addition to the wastewater from residences and businesses.
The council voted to adopt the resolution at a Special Called meeting on June 12. The resolution awards the contract to do the work to the Goodlettsville-based underground utility contractor SBW. SBW’s $2,079,587 bid included $170,000 in sewer rehab I&I work for the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly. “The town is not on the hook for any of the work done in the Assembly,” stressed Monteagle Alderwoman Jessica Favaloro. MSSA will pay for the sewer rehab work done there.
Monteagle will receive $303,600 in grant funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission and $913,086 in American Recovery Plan grant money administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, for a total of $1,216,686 in grant allocations. Monteagle will be responsible for the remaining balance, $692,900.
The town has undertaken extensive video inspection of the sewer system to identify the flaws. At a meeting in June of 2023 Monteagle engineer Travis Wilson said most of the flaws could be repaired with cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) installation. The trenchless CIPP process costs $65-$70 per foot compared to $250 per foot to dig up the lines for repair. Wilson estimated the I&I rehab work would take a year.