Franklin water director outlines Lewisburg multi‑phase water and sewer overhaul, warns of rolling closures

Michelle Hatcher, director of Franklin City’s water department, laid out plans for a multi‑phase Lewisburg water and sewer replacement at a February 2025 neighborhood meeting and warned residents to expect rolling road closures and intermittent service interruptions.

Hatcher said the project — designed in 2023 by Hazen and Sawyer and awarded to contractor Ghani in May 2024 with Board of Aldermen approval — will be constructed in five consecutive phases to replace aging mains, increase pipe diameters, add isolation valves and reduce sanitary sewer infiltration. “This is not going to be a popular project for us,” she said, but added it is necessary to meet growing demand and reduce overflows to the wastewater plant.

Why it matters: the work aims to improve water pressure and network redundancy by looping lines and upsizing mains (about 700 feet of 8‑inch pipe and close to 4,000 feet of 12‑inch pipe were cited) and to reduce infiltration from old sewer joints and brick manholes, which increases treatment volumes and costs for ratepayers.

Funding and deadline: Hatcher said the core funding is $5.5 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) direct allocation for water and sewer projects, supplemented by the city’s rate‑funded capital. Because ARPA funds must be obligated and completed under the program’s timeline, the city has set an internal completion buffer and is aiming to finish major work in time to process paperwork well before the federal September 2026 deadline.

Schedule and traffic impacts: Ghani’s notice to proceed is July 8, with mobilization the following week and road closures expected to begin about mid‑July, Hatcher said. The city will implement rolling closures as crews advance; phase‑specific traffic control plans will be reviewed and approved by the city’s traffic control coordinator, Adam Mosher. During replacement of sewer mains the city will use bypass pumping, which will leave some sewer piping visible on the surface temporarily to maintain service.

Resident impacts and operations: Hatcher said residential trash collection days should remain the same and businesses may stay open but will face limited parking. Standard work hours are Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday work requires approval and an on‑site inspector. Sidewalks will be closed intermittently at connection points (typically for short periods or overnight), and brief, planned water interruptions will be communicated in advance.

Coordination and limits of scope: the city will coordinate with Atmos (the natural gas utility), which will perform separate upgrades and manage its own traffic control. Hatcher clarified that stormwater/drainage improvements are handled by a different department and are not part of this project; larger downtown drainage work to move runoff to the river would be a separate, much more expensive effort.

Property concerns and follow‑up: Hatcher encouraged residents with special conditions (historic retaining walls, sump pumps, meters in driveways) to give addresses to project staff so inspectors can evaluate impacts case‑by‑case; she said the contractor would be responsible for damage caused during work. She also said most downtown meters had been upgraded to automatic reading systems already and that private irrigation lines are the homeowner’s responsibility and may require coordination or cost sharing for reconnection.

Communications: Hatcher said the city will publish detailed traffic plans and monthly project updates on the Water Management “current projects” page and will email milestone notices to residents who provide an address. Tricia, the project manager, and Hatcher offered to remain after the meeting for one‑on‑one questions.

What’s next: the city plans phased mobilization in July and will post refined traffic control maps and timing on the project website; residents should expect rolling closures and intermittent sidewalk and service impacts as crews progress through the five phases.