COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Columbia's city council voted 5-2 to approve a controversial half-billion-dollar water infrastructure project that will draw more water from the Duck River, despite strong opposition from environmental groups and concerns about downstream impacts.
The Columbia Power and Water System will build a new water intake valve downstream in Williamsport, moving forward with the project that will nearly triple water rates for residents with increases of nearly 150%.
The decision came after hours of public comment and debate, with environmental advocates warning the project could devastate the Duck River, which is considered the most biodiverse river in North America.
"Well, what it's going to do is hammer the river, drain the river," said Doug Jones, president of the Duck River Conservancy.
Jones argued the river is already at a critical point and cannot sustain additional water withdrawals.
"The Duck River is at a tipping point, and there's so many straws in the river now that it just it's not doable. The river can't sustain it," Jones said.
The conservancy president expressed particular concern for communities downstream from the new intake location.
"Down the river below Williamsport, it's really going to get hammered. And we've already seen that," Jones said.
Beyond environmental impacts, Jones warned the project ignores the broader needs of the river valley, including areas like Giles County and Chapel Hill that also need water infrastructure improvements.
"One of the sad things about what we've seen with Columbia power is they're ignoring the entire river valley," Jones said. "Giles County needs water desperately. In Chapel Hill, Tennessee, they can't put out a fire that's terrible."
Jones criticized Columbia Power and Water System for rejecting alternative solutions that could benefit multiple communities.
"They don't want a pipeline, because they get their water free from the Duck River," Jones said. "It's about profit, it's about money."
The rate increases will impact businesses across Maury County, Jones predicted.
"This is going to impact restaurants. It's going to impact hospitals all across Maury County. It's going to have a major impact. People aren't going to want to come there," Jones said.
Columbia Power and Water System CEO Jonathan Hardin acknowledged affordability concerns in a statement following the vote.
"Affordability concerns are real, and that was certainly driven home by our customers and neighbors over the past several weeks. I heard it, and I have charged the entire organization to find any and all opportunities to reduce our costs so we can limit these rate increases as much as possible," Hardin said.
Hardin added that the utility has already identified opportunities to avoid maximum rate increases, particularly for customers outside city limits.
The utility expressed gratitude for the city council's support in a statement: "CPWS is grateful for the support of the city council, we know this was a difficult process and they put their trust in us to ensure we continue to provide reliable, clean water to this region. We're excited to begin the process of construction, which we anticipate will begin this spring."
The project is fully designed and permitted, requiring no additional approvals. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026, with the new intake valve coming online by summer 2029.
The Duck River Conservancy is now focusing efforts on pushing for strict drought restrictions to help protect the river's ecosystem and water levels.
Have questions about this story or want to share how this decision might affect you? Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
