Despite mandatory water restrictions, nearly 40 small towns, cities, or public utility districts are struggling to keep up with daily water demands because of the drought.
Duane Jarrett is the Water Supervisor for the town of Monterey. He says there’s enough water to last for 90 days.
“Our lake levels were low starting with summer, then with the heat and the drought. You know, it started last winter, I think we got two or three inches of rain all last winter when we’re used to getting five times that.”
In Monteagle, the situation is even worse. Mayor Charles Rollins:
“We’re buying all the water that we use. We’re buying 150-thousand gallons a day from Sewanee, 100-thousand gallons a day from Tracy City, 100-thousand gallons a day from Big Creek Utility in Coalmont.”
Right now, help from the state comes from either a grant or a low-interest loan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s field offices are also taking in emergency grant requests. So far 37 towns, cities, or public utility districts have been identified as needing help to relieve a water shortage.
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