Ready-mix operator urges Trousdale County Utility Board to address sewer billing for resale operations

At the Trousdale County Utility Board meeting on Oct. 28, 2025, resident and ready-mix operator Ryan Hovind urged the board to adopt a policy to reduce sewer charges for commercial and agricultural customers whose water is sold off-site.

Hovind said his operation has a 2-inch line and uses a portable restroom rather than on-site sewer, and that sewer charges are being calculated from water purchases. "We're being billed basically double our water bill," he said, describing the cost burden and asking the board to consider an alternative billing arrangement for lines that do not return wastewater to the system.

Board staff responded that "currently, right now, it's a state mandate that you are responsible for doing that if it's provided in your area," and that the utility cannot unilaterally offer exceptions without a written policy. A staff speaker said they are developing a policy framework and planned to consult the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts (TAUD) and legal counsel before proposing any formal change.

The board did not take formal action at the meeting. Staff told Hovind his request had been placed on the agenda for next month and said they hoped to present policy language for the board to consider at that time.

Why it matters: Sewer billing for customers that do not discharge wastewater into the sewer collection system can be a significant operating cost for agricultural and industrial users. A policy change could affect billing equity and municipal revenue; staff indicated the proposed policy would apply generally, not as a one-off accommodation.

What remains unresolved: The transcript records Hovinds request and staffs plan to draft a policy, but it does not include a proposed billing formula, a specific dollar figure for past bills, or a guaranteed timeline for board action beyond the plan to revisit the matter next month.