[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6393458,"mediaKeyId","2107232-07c84177e7b9a4f5f96a4a1015113fd4","parentId",2107232,"title","Gatlinburg staff outline plan to boost water-plant output to 3 million gallons per day; pilots and permits in hand","audioSeconds",660,"startMs",1218000,"endMs",1878000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107232-07c84177e7b9a4f5f96a4a1015113fd4&start=1218&end=1878","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107232-07c84177e7b9a4f5f96a4a1015113fd4/thumbnail_1218000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6393458/Tennessee/Gatlinburg-staff-outline-plan-to-boost-water-plant-output-to-3-million-gallons-per-day-pilots-and-permits-in-hand","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393458-cd5c40a199c2917407b3630f4d531f62/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139775&Signature=ohzcHF6ZQbKzgh0j7j7m2fgUbINqWmFaUFDCtLeDt4XbJRoQvuIXmKFjBk7j0Uh~CqNqcdB2H8VxA6ST9BGi84hIOcMsBgd2oaDxFa8KlSwLQDbFVqIFYt320-iOmQBiSLnyzQDu~pePzx9IaPWTW9urvxfau7Sc0vpicFUe2uALRyTxPRMUUwrezFivSDriP3~39aJg1Y5Xy-LmPGVV1jmCY~3FVwYYmwJ5GVJwmBj2JQdPModlEGEaj76~vGngAB9vIGTFXQWXRtnmETKYuq7noO7nJFkSNyiY4BUuDeRndikqi8azX8BgE9-8Zbhq~jN9MmVpnT6V9Wnmr6gICA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Gatlinburg, TN","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","City Manager Greg Patton and city utilities staff presented a proposed expansion of the Gatlinburg water-treatment plant designed to raise nominal production from about 2 million gallons per day (MGD) to roughly 3 MGD.

Dale (city utilities staff) told the board the plant, originally built in 1950 and upgraded in 1965, has been operating “very well” but is at or near maximum production much of the time. “We’re producing about 2,000,000 to 2,100,000 gallons a day,” Dale said, and the city supplements peak weekend demand by buying water from Pigeon Forge. Dale said increasing plant output by an additional 1,000,000 gallons a day would “greatly reduce what we’ll need to buy from Pigeon Forge.”

Engineers from LDA Engineering said the planned increase is achievable largely by replacing conventional rapid-sand filtration with newer ceramic-plate membrane filtration in the existing footprint. Corey Newman, principal engineering client-service lead, and Zach Daniel, president of LDA Engineering, said the city already ran two pilot membrane tests; one was “very successful” and the other “moderately successful,” and both demonstrated the technology’s feasibility in Gatlinburg’s footprint.

Nut graf: The expansion aims to meet growing peak demand driven by visitation, reduce purchased water from neighboring systems, and improve treatment reliability. Staff said they have obtained required permits and expect the project to move to detailed design and procurement within the year.

Staff said regulatory permitting for the increased river withdrawal has been secured. Dale reported the city had obtained “our TDEC permit for the inquiry increased withdrawal from the river” and a second permit described in the meeting transcript as a “TDA permit,” both of which staff said allow the larger withdrawal amount at the intake site on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. LDA representatives and staff emphasized the engineers’ river-flow analysis, saying it shows “there is enough water through about 95% of the year” to support the larger withdrawal without harming downstream ecology; staff warned that very dry periods may require reduced withdrawal in accordance with regulatory limits.

LDA outlined a timeline that begins with a three-month evaluation phase, a detailed design phase through months 4–10, and bidding around months 11–12. The firm warned equipment lead times could drive the overall schedule; LDA and staff said manufacturing lead time for membrane and other treatment equipment can be about 12 months and that the construction phase itself could take roughly a year once major equipment is delivered. Zach Daniel said much of the work can be staged so the plant remains operational while filters are replaced.

On cost, Dale said earlier engineering work produced a tentative construction estimate “around $4,000,000 give or take,” plus roughly $300,000 for engineering and additional contingency; the city presented the item as a $5,000,000 umbrella estimate. Patton and finance staff said the water upgrade is part of the city’s multi-project financing plan: staff described issuing debt in 2025 and cited that the $5,000,000 water project is expected to be funded as part of the same general issuance that supports the public-services work.

Environmental questions drew engineer responses. Staff said they maintain a seven-year data set of stream-gauge readings showing sufficient flow for most of the year, and that regulatory requirements will govern operations during unusually dry periods. Dale said treated wastewater returns a portion of the withdrawn water to downstream flows.

Ending: Staff said they will proceed with detailed design and return with bid documents and a recommendation for contractor selection; no formal vote on water-plant financing or construction occurred at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Workshop new cityhall, water treatment 1 7 25","oneSentenceSummary","City officials and engineers from LDA Engineering presented a plan to increase the municipal water-treatment plant’s capacity from about 2 million gallons per day to roughly 3 million using membrane filtration technology; staff said permits are approved and estimated the construction budget at about $5 million.","taxTitle","Gatlinburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Gatlinburg City, Sevier County, Tennessee","taxId",76638,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6393463,"Gatlinburg officials unveil design for combined public services complex; outline financing plan",716,0,716000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107232-07c84177e7b9a4f5f96a4a1015113fd4&start=0&end=716","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107232-07c84177e7b9a4f5f96a4a1015113fd4/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6393463/Tennessee/Gatlinburg-officials-unveil-design-for-combined-public-services-complex-outline-financing-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393463-6322c664f65497b19291aa426fee3e83/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139775&Signature=Uefd8ne1TPOLxbnPa-RZcELb6SAPuHYayiGjBrO2XzMDFwopbiPhPHF3UFKh41cOx2KPbMgriVnhSd30fh85FdlrTLEJfWWOUenKt4BXCZi7PqmjrCNQQnUUEYSFV8Lc1JITDgJhfUnYAXXSj1hHJB3Snb8ZSZOM5-VBB30jnwkbTXI~EA8W0jHjWe6Z3qKN2w4uAImrD7i7air~s31dENsbhKeMQ2HpPTELwncbs0gYVwyESxdC73mNCXUCwq-rrwNT5qsb9rlDjZM0GT8iLgxXwB8oMH6cSa1vC8WdLJjx2w~0iO9uTEFwW3ovJP7X-UMeNFCe69nn9vtEUajU1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Greg Patton and architects presented designs Monday for a new public services complex that would tie city hall, the police department and the fire department into a single secured facility while adding office and meeting space.

Architect Kelly Hennen described the project as “the public services complex,” saying the plan combines roughly 80,300 square feet of renovation with just under 25,000 square feet of new construction. Hennen said the design creates a single main entry with a security/reception checkpoint, an expanded commission chamber and courtroom, improved fire-department gear storage and formalized sleeping quarters and training space for firefighters.

The design, Hennen said, also leaves unassigned office space for future growth. “When you build this facility on day 1, you’re not already busting at the seams,” Hennen said. He described a circulation change at the main entry to improve drop-off, enlarged public seating in the chamber, audio-visual displays, and new locker and storage layouts to clear equipment out of truck bays.

Nut graf: The plan addresses long-standing space shortages for public safety and municipal operations and includes an initial financing proposal intended to limit the city’s immediate borrowing costs. City officials said space in the existing complex has not expanded significantly since the late 1980s, and the new configuration is meant both to improve daily operations and to allow phased renovations of vacated spaces.

City Manager Greg Patton outlined a two-year financing approach for what staff described as a roughly $10,000,000 program related to the public services work. Patton said the city “can issue debt to cover $5,000,000 of this and also use $5,000,000 of available fund balance for the general fund for the 1st year funding” and that staff expect “probably the next year, in 2026, we can issue another $5,000,000” in debt. Patton and other staff also said the city is evaluating options to keep any single-year borrowing at or below $10,000,000 in order to remain “bank-qualified,” which staff said can produce lower interest rates.

Officials discussed interest-rate assumptions offered by financial advisors. Patton said preliminary estimates from Cumberland Securities put bond rates “somewhere right now still below 4%.” Several aldermen and staff debated whether to borrow the full amount up front or to stagger borrowing while keeping more cash invested; one alderman urged borrowing earlier if rates stayed favorable rather than drawing down fund balances that are currently earning market interest.

City staff said seven contractors attended a pre-bid meeting for a construction-manager selection process; staff expect contractor recommendations in February and, following approval by the city and the Public Building Authority, to begin construction in spring if schedules hold. Architect Kelly Hennen described the project as roughly a 16-month build, but told the board that relocating the fire department during construction could shorten the schedule. Public-works staff have identified nearby storage buildings that they say could house fire apparatus temporarily to accelerate construction.

No formal financing vote or contract award occurred at the meeting. Officials said next steps are to evaluate construction-manager proposals and return to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen with a recommendation to authorize a contract and any debt issuance.

Ending: Staff asked aldermen to hold questions for the February agenda item on contractor selection; the board heard no public comment specific to the design at this presentation.
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Gatlinburg staff outline plan to boost water-plant output to 3 million gallons per day; pilots and permits in hand

Gatlinburg officials unveil design for combined public services complex; outline financing plan