After failing last year to receive a passing grade from the State of Tennessee, the Red Boiling Springs Water Utilities Department achieved a score of 80 this year in the May 2005 Sanitary Survey Rating. Deductions were given for failing to submit to the State plans for new water lines at Whitaker Circle; construction based on approved plans; violation of commission's order regarding water turbidity; and having less than 95% of samples at less than 4 NTU in March, 2004, resulting in a 20 point deduction.

Areas where the system received deficient ratings are areas which also are mentioned in the State's lawsuit against the RBS City Council and former Mayor Randel Gregory. In response to the Sanitary Survey, RBS Mayor Kenneth Hollis received a letter from Troy Taubert, Division of Water Supply, Cookeville Environmental Assistance Center, citing areas still needing improvement and other areas where improvements have been made by the City and acknowledged by the Environmental Assistance Center. In the letter, Taubert states: "The City of Red Boiling Springs has made necessary changes to their water system in an attempt (to) achieve compliance with Division requirements. Specifically, changes in City employee job duties have resulted in a clear chain of command and have encouraged open communication with the Division. This in conjunction with an upgrade to the Saben Springs Plant has resolved many of the issues that plagued the system for years. The listed score for this sanitary survey does not reflect these positive changes. This is due mainly to deductions for violations that were incurred during the previous administration. We feel strongly if the current trend continues, the next sanitary survey score will be significantly higher. We are very encouraged about the recent willingness of the current certified operators to keep up informed on a regular basis of any potential issues they may have."

According to Taubert, the Sanitary Survey rating places the Red Boiling Springs Water System in the State's 'Provisionally Approved' category. RBS Certified Operator trainee Brian Long and Johnnie Walker, from the Division of Water Supply in Cookeville, met with Taubert to discuss the eight remaining areas of non-compliance as cited in the May 15th, 2005 Sanitary Survey as well as in Taubert's summarizing letter of June 3, 2005 and in the State's Complaint against RBS. As summarized by Taubert, the eight, remaining issues are:

1) Red Boiling Springs is not using an approvable method for the determination of Manganese. The Periodate Oxidation method in use by the City does not have a detection limit low enough to determine compliance with the secondary maximum contaminant level for Manganese of 0.05 mg/L. The City must utilize a method and instrumentation capable of detecting concentrations of Manganese below the secondary maximum contaminant level by July 15, 2005.

2) On August 10 and 17, 2004, Staff from the Cookeville field office investigated a new line constructed on King Hill road and found it was not constructed according to Division of Water Supply Design Criteria. Specifically, the line does not meet the minimum depth requirements of thirty (30) inches to the top of the pipe. This line must be disconnected from the Red Boiling Springs Water System by July 15, 2005.

3) An existing City water line on Whitaker circle was moved without Division knowledge or approval. This is a violation of Rule 1200-5-1-05 (4) which states in part "Any deviations from plan documents approved by the Department, which affect location, sanitary and/or mineral quality, capacity, hydraulic conditions, ... must be approved in writing before such changes are made."

4) March 2004 finished water turbidity measurements at the Saben Plant indicated that greater than five percent (5%) of the measurements exceeded 0.5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). This is a violation of rule 1200-5-1-.05 (4)(a). Red Boiling Springs failed to fulfill the requirements of a letter of Agreement to operate in compliance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule. The City has addressed the turbidity problem at Saben Spring with the construction of a new membrane filter plant. The Division feels this should resolve the turbidity violations at the Saben Plant as long as the Plan is property operated and maintained.

5) Red Boiling Springs does not have signed fire hydrant color code agreements with all fire departments that may use the City's hydrants. Any Fire Department that may use the system's hydrants must sign a statement indicating they understand the City's color code policy or ordinance and they agree not to connect a pumper fire truck to any hydrant that cannot supply 500 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual pressure. This must be completed and submitted to the division of Water Supply by July 15, 2005.

6) The City has not been recording on the Monthly Operation Report the amount of coagulant used or the calculated dosage at the McClelland Plant. This information was recorded on the daily sheets at the plant. The City must record this information on all Monthly Operation Reports beginning in June, 2005.

7) State approval to conduct turbidity analysis is granted to Brian Long. This approval is valid until the next sanitary survey and is contingent upon proper operation and maintenance of turbidity equipment.

8) The bacteriological sampling rate for Red Boiling Springs Water System will remain at five (5) bacteriological samples each month based on the population served.

RBS City Clerk Koby Knight says about these eight issues, "We are working day and night to resolve them as quickly and as efficiently as possible."