SMITHVILLE, Tenn. - Out of the millions of gallons of water pumped into each home in Middle Tennessee, millions more have gone missing. The main cause is something every water company has faced, leaks in underground pipes.
The town of Smithville recently spent $2.8 million to renovate its water system, but they've still seen an increase in water leaks. Water plant supervisor Todd Bowman said the amount of water leaked out has grown from 18% to 22% in just a year.
That amount is below the state's 35% or less requirement, but Bowman said it's important to address the problem before it got worse.
"We're looking at getting a new leak detection device and the guys should be able to find the leak. The one we have is old," said Bowman.
Smithville was nearly in line with Metro for water loss, which stood at 15% for 2011. Still, Bowman said he wants to be proactive and fix the problem. The new water leak detector will cost nearly $3,000. The city's mayor said the funds are available for the project.
