Water Department
Where does Hartselle’s water come from?
Our water comes from Decatur Utilities which uses the Tennessee River as it’s source. The Tennessee River is a surface water source. Raw water is pumped from the river into DU’s treatment plant where chemical coagulants are added to create settling of particles. The water is then sent through sand filters to remove any unsettled particles. Disinfection is then achieved with the addition of chlorine. Fluoride is also added for the protection of children’s teeth.
After the treatment process is complete, the resulting potable water is then pumped into the distribution system. Hartselle Utilities receives water from DU through a metered connection at HU’s water booster station. HU then adds chlorine to renew the amount lost in DU’s distribution system. From there the water is pumped into Hartselle’s distribution system and storage tanks.
Water Department Work in Progress
Water System Master Plan
System wide assessment of the Water System
Water Main Relocation
Where: Railroad Street
Part of the Longhorn Pass Downtown Bypass Project
Fire Hydrant Maintenance and Replacement
System wide to maintain adequate fire protection for the City of Hartselle
Water Department News
Water Rates Increasing Slightly, Natural Gas Decrease Expected
HU water rates will increase October 1, 2010 says HU Accounting and Finance Manager Bob Sittason. The increase will be 2.7 percent, which for the average HU water customer will be about 43 cents a month, he says.
Last summer, Sittason explains, Decatur Utilities – from which HU purchases all of its water – approved a three-year annual rate increase. This is the second of the three increases.
“This is a straight pass-through increase,” he explains. “We are not adding anything to it.
“The actual increase is 9.28 cents per thousand gallons,” he says. “Our average residential customer uses 4,667 gallons a month.”
At the same time water rates are increasing, Sittason reports that he expects natural gas rates this winter to decrease.
“We’ve locked in 81 percent of our expected usage at a cost that is 19.5 percent lower than our natural gas costs were last year,” he explains. HU typically ‘locks in,’ or agree to buy, at least 80 percent of projected winter natural gas demand, based on a five-year historical average of actual demand between October and March.
“Depending on the winter weather and lifestyle habits, customers should see a decrease in their natural gas bill this winter,” Sittason says.
Salem Road Water Line Project
HU Water crews recently replaced approximately 1,800 feet of 2-inch galvanized iron pipe along Salem Road.
According to HU Water System Operator Steve Terry, the 50-year-old pipe was corroded in places, which sometimes caused rust-colored water to run in the 15 residences along Salem Road. Part of HU’s 20-year Long Range Master Plan calls for a 12-inch loop around the low level district, which covers the southern portion of HU’s service area. Because the 2-inch iron pipe was along that loop, HU engineers decided to replace it out with 12-inch main. The $75,000 upgrade also added fire protection to the area.
Terry says there is about 3,000 feet of old galvanized iron pipe remaining in the water system. Since it is not along the low level loop, the remaining pipe will be replaced with 8-inch water main.