Early estimates of the replacement cost of the water intake plant destroyed in the September floods of Hurricane Helene could exceed $10 million.
Greeneville Water Superintendent Laura White told the Greeneville Water Commission board Tuesday that flood waters overtopped the intake building by eight feet and damaged the walls, but the foundation and substructure were in good shape. That should save the utility a large portion of the rebuilding costs. White said the top floor had four feet of mud inside it, as well as a round bale of hay. All of the equipment was damaged or destroyed, although Assistant Superintendent Eric Frye said that some of the equipment was being checked to see if it could be salvaged. Frye said the building sits atop 3′ diameter beams that are driven over one hundred feet into the ground down to the bedrock. Frye said that would be the most costly part of a new building if they were no able to rebuild at that site.
While rebuilding the structure completely may take up to a year, the Water Commission has plans in place to keep the temporary pumps working until then. Round-the-clock employees monitor the pumps to ensure they are running properly and keep check on the intake lines in the river to make sure they are properly placed to draw the maximum amount of water. They also backflush the system to clear debris and leaves during the fall, and have plans in place for the sub-freezing temperatures this winter.
The first estimates of the cost of rebuilding the plant are between $10 million and $12 million, but change depending on how much of the existing building can be used or the cost of equipment in the coming months. FEMA offers reimbursement for costs during disasters, however the process can take years for the money to be recouped. To help offset the burden of the expenses until FEMA money comes, Governor Bill Lee announced a zero interest loan program to utilities. Lee set aside $35 million, but that money will also be applied for by all counties affected by the disaster.
John McInturff, the board’s insurance representative, told them that there was no flood insurance that would cover the losses at the station. When asked about the possibility of future insurance, McInturff said that the maximum that a policy would cover would be only $1 million, but that the cost of the premiums would eventually exceed the amount of the coverage.
Frye and White said the temporary pumps are able to keep up with the demand, but the system is keeping the reservoir and tanks at their fullest capacity in the event of any problems. White said the utility had a contingency plan in place to deal with such a disaster of this magnitude which included having temporary pumps en route to Greeneville within 48 hours. White said that the the utility had a contract with Xylem Water Solutions to provide temporary pumps, and had installed taps on the existing lines for emergency connections. That enabled water to begin flowing back into the system in less than five days.
