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Committee defers 43‑SFU request for Central Pike Elementary pending metered flow data and city coordination
Summary
Wilson County staff presented a 43‑SFU (15,050 gpd) reservation request for Central Pike Elementary on behalf of the Wilson County School Board; committee deferred final action and asked staff to gather metered usage from comparable schools and coordinate with the City of Lebanon before reconvening.
Wilson County staff presented a request from Joe Haddix representing the Wilson County School Board for 43 SFUs (15,050 gallons per day) of sewer reservation for a new Central Pike Elementary to be located on two parcels at 13755 and 14045 Central Pike. Staff noted the county has previously waived capacity fees for school projects and staff recommended the committee consider the school policy precedent.
Committee members raised questions about whether 43 SFUs is unusually high for an elementary school. Members referenced existing invoice and meter data for comparable schools: staff said a nearby school currently pumps about 5,000 gallons per day for roughly 600 students, which members used to suggest a lower SFU need. One member noted the financial implication of units withheld from county sales: “If we can save roughly 20 units and be able to collect on them, I mean, that's $600,000.”
Staff and members discussed that the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) guidance provides a state standard for school wastewater assumptions (the city and staff appear to rely on TDEC figures), and that the city of Lebanon had issued an approval letter that staff needs to reconcile with county calculations. Members asked staff to collect water‑meter history for district elementary, middle and high schools and to present SFU calculations per student so the committee could compare actual usage to the TDEC assumptions.
Given the outstanding questions, a member moved and the committee voted to defer the Central Pike Elementary request to a future meeting (or to reconvene sooner if the applicant supplies the requested metered flow data). Staff indicated they would begin coordinating with Regina at the city and that an amended recommendation could be brought back soon.
Ending: The committee deferred the 43‑SFU request and directed staff to collect metered usage data from comparable schools and coordinate with the City of Lebanon before taking final action.
