TN lawmakers earmark $20 million for Erwin Wastewater Treatment Plant

Erwin’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and Laboratory will receive help after Tennessee lawmakers earmarked $20 million for the facility in the recently passed state budget. Some parts of the water treatment plant were under as much as eight feet of water during the flooding, and took weeks to bring back online. Progress has been temporary, repairs are needed almost weekly. Building a new wastewater plant could be anywhere from $60 to $80 million. State Senator Steve Southerland and State Representative Renea Jones, helped secure an additional $20 million from the state, earmarked for the wastewater plant. Erwin Utilities will decide soon whether to rebuild or remodel the plant. The next step is to secure a preliminary engineering report that evaluates all the options to restore and or completely replace the wastewater treatment facility.