TULLAHOMA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Duck River Utility Commission is asking neighbors in several cities to conserve water after the utility narrowly avoided a complete system failure over the weekend.
"After that cold snap, we had very high water demand in our system, and we were having trouble keeping our tanks full," said Randal Braker, general manager of Duck River Utility Commission.
Last week, Duck River issued a voluntary conservation request asking residents in Manchester, Tullahoma, Wartrace, Bell Buckle, Hillsboro, Pelham and some surrounding areas to limit their water usage.
Despite those efforts, demand remained dangerously high.
"We still had over a million gallons a day of excess demand," Braker said.
Braker believes that excess demand is likely due to broken pipes that haven't been reported yet following the cold snap and ice storm.
When the water towers are low, that can create a dangerous situation if there’s not enough water pressure to help fight fires.
The situation worsened over the weekend when a valve broke at the utility's facility, putting the entire system at risk of failure.
“We were probably hours from losing the whole system,” Braker said.
Crews working Monday were able to create a temporary fix, but water towers remain at critically low levels.
With storage tanks still struggling to refill, the utility continues asking residents to voluntarily conserve water.
"Everybody's got a flush, they got a drink, they got to wash dishes. But if they can, you know, keep it to a minimum and use as little as possible," Braker said.
He's specifically asking residents to refrain from car washing and limit excess laundry until water levels stabilize.
He said small changes like turning the water off while brushing your teeth can actually make a difference, too.
The conservation request has generated some criticism on social media. One common concern I found in comments online questioned whether overdevelopment was to blame for this issue.
I asked Braker if that played a part in this.
“No, we have enough capacity to anticipate growth. That's kind of our job and our mission here," Braker said.
He said the utility has three construction projects underway to increase capacity as more people move to the area. Braker emphasized the current crisis wasn't related to growth or infrastructure limitations.
"This problem was not a problem the day before the cold snap," Braker said.
Duck River said they are bringing in as much water as they safely can, but it will take several more days for storage towers to return to normal levels.
The utility hopes residents will continue making small changes that can have a big impact on the system's recovery.
In addition to conserving water, they’re asking people to report any leaks they see to their local water company, especially in vacant buildings or homes.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
During a week when it seems that frustration is the prevailing sentiment felt across middle Tennessee amid ongoing power outages, Forrest Sanders brings us a story of love, faithfulness and a remarkable family... plus, a little humor on the side. Enjoy!
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