Frequently Asked Questions
Under TCA §§ 7-82-403 & 7-35-414, Local Government Utilities have the power and duty to establish and maintain rates and charges sufficient to pay all reasonable operating expenses. Rate and fee changes are generally passed by ordinance or resolution at a regularly scheduled board meeting.
While Tennessee Law does grant utilities the ability to provide leak assistance in accordance with their policy, there is nothing that requires a utility to provide this service. The lines between a customer's house and their meter are still in the customer's possession; therefore, all water or gas leaks that occur after the meter are the responsibility of the consumer. If a utility chooses not to provide leak protection, all usage will be billed at the standard rate.
According to an opinion provided by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), "state law would generally authorize the city's charging the resident a "ready to serve charge" of some minimum amount bearing a relationship to the actual cost of the water department's standing ready to serve that resident... however, charging that resident the average monthly water service...may not be permitted as a "reasonable" or "just and equitable" ready to serve charge." OAG 98-0152.
Utility systems within the State of Tennessee that have issued bonds payable for sewer services are granted authority in TCA § 7-35-201 (1) to "require the owner tenant or occupant of each lot or parcel of land that abuts upon a street or other public way containing a sanitary sewer and upon which lot or parcel a building exists for residential, commercial or industrial use, to connect the building with the sanitary sewer and to cease to use any other means for the disposal of sewage, sewage waste or other polluting matter."
The Tennessee Board of Utility Regulation does not have statutory oversight over water quality complaints. If you are having issues with the quality of your water or believe that your utility is not maintaining adequate standards, please contact the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation here: TDEC Water Resources.
The Comptroller's Office does not retain records for local utility systems. If you are seeking specific information regarding any aspect of your local utility, you must submit a public records request to the utility's governing body. If the utility system does not have a records request procedure or refuses to comply with your request, please email our Open Records Counsel at open.records@cot.tn.gov or call 615.401.7891. You may also submit an inquiry regarding open meetings or records using our online system, which is linked below.
Utilities within the State of Tennessee that operate gas, water, or sewer systems are authorized by T.C.A. § 28-3-302 & 303 to assess and collect a charge for unpaid usage up to 36 months before the error is discovered. If the utility is able to establish a date for which the error began, which is less than 36 months before the error is discovered, the utility may only issue retroactive charges for that period of time.
Our office does not maintain records for the individual utility services available at specific addresses. Our office recommends contacting the realtors who facilitated the purchase of your residency. If you are renting, please reach out to your rental agency. If you cannot obtain service information from the parties mentioned above, your County Mayor's office may be able to provide the names of the utility services or potential utility services available at your address. If your residency is not currently connected to any utility infrastructure, you will need to contact nearby utilities and request the installation of services from the utility.
Pursuant to TCA § 7-35-201, Utility Systems are granted the authority to discontinue services due to nonpayment. Utilities do not have to reestablish service until all past-due service charges owed by the customer have been paid.
Utility Bill Assistance Programs:
Various programs in Tennessee provide monetary assistance. Please follow the links below to see what options are available in your area and if you qualify. Your local utility may also provide some form of assistance; please check with your provider to see what options are available.
The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury's Division of Local Government Audit keeps the annual financial reports of local governments available for public viewing at any time. You may access your utility's published annual audit here: Financial Reports.
The amount of gallons that can flow through a hole in a pipe will largely depend upon the size of the hole and the pressure in the pipe. State Law requires that a minimum of 20 psi of pressure be supplied within the lines at all times for health and safety purposes; however, many utilities in the State of Tennessee provide water at a higher pressure.
For example, a water line with a roughly 0.1" diameter hole and a pressure of 60 psi can leak over 100 gallons per hour, whereas a line with the same size hole but a pressure of 20 psi may only leak 30-50 gallons per hour.
Often, there will not be any visible water or soil saturation near leaks that occur between the meter and your house; this can even be the case in situations involving large volumes of water. This is often due to the rate of the leak, as well as the soil's texture, structure, and moisture content. Undetectable structures underneath the ground (i.e., caves, reservoirs, wells) can also affect the rate at which water is absorbed into the ground over a prolonged period.