CHATTANOOGA, TN — Data provided in a report by the state of Tennessee reveals that 68 wastewater treatment facilities across the state are under orders to get their systems up to standards, according to a June 2 article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

“We have aging infrastructure of all types,” chief engineer for Tennessee Department of Environment and Conversation’s Division of Water Pollution Control Saya Ann Qualls told the paper.

A Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations study released in March reported that many sewer lines were reaching the end of their useful lives. Increasing populations are also a factor, as many systems were built before the rapid growth of the last few decades. More are likely to receive orders to upgrade, according to the article.

The state of Tennessee Water Pollution Control requires systems under order to institute programs that emphasize maintenance, operation and management, or MOM. MOM programs must include inspection procedures, maintenance procedures, training guidelines and a policy for dealing with deficiencies, according to the article.

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