Dispute Over Franklin Water Works

An environmental group is at odds with the city of Franklin over a proposal to expand a small drinking water plant.

Even though most of the city’s water is purchased from a regional utility, Franklin maintains a small water works on the Harpeth River. Now officials are asking the state for approval to expand that facility.

The Harpeth River Watershed Association says the plant already drains so much from the river that the water level is sometimes too low to adequately dilute waste from a downstream sewage facility. The Association’s policy director, Pam Davee doesn’t think there should be a drinking water plant in the city at all.

“Here in Franklin, it’s not necessary, it’s not an economic necessity

which one of the things that is a requirement that if you are going to

degrade water quality it has to be an economic necessity. That is not

the case in Franklin.”

Officials contend the plant is an essential backup in case there’s ever trouble with their supply from the regional utility.

Right now, the plant is allowed to pump 7-million gallons a day, no matter what. Under the expansion proposal, that rate would increase by over half. But in drier seasons, Assistant city administrator David Parker says new restrictions would kick in to maintain a minimum flow in the river.

“We are environmentally conscious ourself, we’re not proposing to do

anything that will hurt the river. We feel that we are offering a

solution that will keep water in the river when we have any control

over it.”

Parker says the Harpeth will go dry in some years, no matter what the city does.

Parker doesn’t know when to expect a decision from the state. The Department of Environment and Conservation is currently evaluating the city’s proposal.