Wastewater Department FAQs

I am building a house. How do I sign up for sanitary sewer services?
You will need to come to our office and fill out an availability form. This form initiates the process whereby we determine if sanitary sewer is available to your property and what the connection costs will be. If you have already completed an availability form, you need only complete an application for service.

Why are charges for sanitary sewer services higher than water costs?
Our rates are $5.07 per 1,000 gallons for the first 100,000 gallons of sewer service and $2.83 per 1,000 gallons for the first 100,000 gallons of water inside the city limits. It costs us more to treat wastewater and maintain the city's sanitary sewer system than it does to buy our water from DRUC and to maintain our water system.

Where is the wastewater treatment plant?
The wastewater treatment plant is located at 1012 S. Franklin St. in Tullahoma.

Where does the wastewater discharge?
The wastewater plant discharges into Rock Creek.

How can I schedule a tour of your wastewater treatment facilities?
Call the wastewater plant at (931) 455-2009, or the TUB office at (931) 455-4515, to schedule a tour.

How do i know if I am on the sewer system?
If you are paying a sewer bill, you are connected to the city sewer. In some rare occasions, a customer may be paying a sewer bill but not be connected to the city sewer. Normally, you will have at least one service line clean-out pipe either near the street or next to your house.

What do I do if my grinder pump light is flashing?
Call TUA at (931) 455-4515 at any time to let us know that there is a problem with your grinder pump.

What is a grinder pump?
A grinder pump is a pump located in a tank that receives wastewater from your home. The pumps send the wastewater to either a pressure sewer line or a gravity sewer line at the street. A control panel will be located on the outside wall of your house near the tank. We are responsible for maintaining the grinder pump at no cost to our customers.