Tallassee’s infrastructure is being tested as people move to the area — especially drinking water.
With new homes either under construction or property owners wanting to build homes in the areas of Little Road and Lakewood Drive, leaders are trying to determine a way. The city’s water tanks are in good condition after the reconditioning of the downtown water tank. Now the Tallassee City Council is trying to figure out the best way to add the new water customers without breaking the bank.
“We got some issues on Little Road,” public works superintendent James Garner told the council. “These areas are growing a pretty good bit. We have budgets we are trying to work within.”
Inflation and supply chain issues have already caused current and recently finished projects in Tallassee to go over estimated costs that could lead to issues with the city’s current customers. Prices for supplies to treat water have gone up and the city doesn’t collect enough revenue from its wholesale customers to cover the costs of treating water.
“We are at the end of our [budgeted monies] and still have several months to go,” Garner said.
The area of Katie Lane off of Little Road only has a 2-inch supply line. It is many years old and needs replacing but with an estimated 14 new homes in the area, Mayor John Hammock said it likely needs to be replaced with a 6-inch line. The larger line would allow for better pressure, but the city also needs to replace some of the supply lines feeding the area.
The city also has water pressure issues on New Quarters Road. It is a line the city had to take on following a lawsuit as Tallassee supplied water in addition to parts of the industrial park.
City leaders said there is no funding currently to properly address the issues but Hammock said there might be an option to get some funding. Hammock suggested asking the Elmore County Commission for part of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help with the issue. Hammock said the city could also seek low-interest loans from the state’s revolving fund. It is a similar fund the city is using to cover funding differences for the city’s new sewage treatment facility.
The council made no decision on any of the matters and asked Garner to get estimated costs to present to the council’s finance committee.
In other action the Tallassee City Council:
• Approved minutes of the April 26 meeting.
• Approved the annual Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Report.
• Approved making the code enforcement position part time.
• Approved the naming of the greenspace in downtown after Bill Goss.
• Approved an emergency expense in the amount of $13,990 to repair the sewage lift station on the east side of the Tallapoosa River.
Councilmembers Bill Hall and Sarah Hill were absent from the meeting.
