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Knox County weighs a $607,000 sewer realignment and whether to build a local treatment plant
Summary
County staff reported a proposed preliminary $607,000 main sewer realignment, widespread leaking laterals requiring costly inspections, and limited grant options; commissioners asked staff for ballpark costs and flow data to decide whether to repair lines or pursue a local treatment plant.
On Aug. 19, 2025, Jeff Pickrell briefed Knox County commissioners on the county's water and wastewater operations, outlining short-term repairs and longer-term options after recent power issues, equipment failures and evidence of inflow and infiltration (I&I) in older sewer lines.
Pickrell said crews recently cleaned accessible pump stations and have relied on standby generators at the Apple Valley pump station after repeated line-power voltage drops. "I choked on the electric bill; it was about 10 times higher than what it normally is," Pickrell said, adding that county staff have engaged AEP engineers and billing contacts to identify the problem. He said running on generator power has prevented pump trips since the switch.
The presentation moved from operations to capital needs. Pickrell identified a preliminary engineering estimate of about $607,000 to realign a main sewer line in a problem area and emphasized the groundwater table is high there, increasing the risk of ongoing infiltration. "If we fix the main lines and we don't fix their…
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