March 16, 2026
Early this morning at 5:45 a.m., the on-call technician began receiving phone calls reporting a water outage. While responding to the calls, the technician was able to contact the distribution operator at 6:21 a.m. to begin investigating the issue.
Utility crews were called in and began searching for the source of the problem. Due to the heavy rain and runoff in the ditches and roadways, locating the break was difficult and caused some delays. During the search, the distribution operator shut off sections of the water line to allow the water tanks to refill and help narrow down the location of the leak.
At approximately 8:27 a.m., the leak was located at the intersection of Miser Station Road at the four-way stop. An 811 locate request was placed at 8:34 a.m. Tennessee state law requires utility locators up to two hours to mark underground utilities before excavation can begin. Because the locate service operates on Central Time, crews had to wait until 11:34 a.m. before digging.
Once the line was uncovered, crews discovered two breaks in the pipe. Repairs were completed, and water service began to be restored around 1:16 p.m.
Shortly after restoring service, another leak occurred approximately 300 feet up the road. The technician determined that because the line had been drained, pressure returning to the line caused a section of pipe that was under stress around a curve to crack.
A second emergency 811 locate was called in at 1:39 p.m. The locator arrived around 2:45 p.m., and crews immediately began excavation. This break was found to be a 10-foot crack in the pipe. Repairs were completed around 4:15 p.m.
The operator began restoring water service around 4:30 p.m., and crews began flushing hydrants to remove sediment and release air from the line.
Throughout the day, our utility crews worked in rain, snow, and cold temperatures to locate and repair the breaks as quickly and safely as possible. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this caused our customers all day. Please know that our team does not enjoy having residents without water or spending long hours performing emergency repairs in difficult weather conditions.
As the utility continues working to replace aging water lines throughout the system, situations like this can occasionally occur as older infrastructure fails. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we continue improving and upgrading the system.
What residents may notice
• Temporary air in the water lines
• Cloudy or sputtering water when first turning on faucets
What you can do
• Run cold water from a bathtub faucet or outside spigot for several minutes.
• This helps release trapped air and clear any sediment from your household plumbing.
Thank you again for your patience and for supporting the hardworking members of our utility crew.
Water Main Break Update
Tennessee 811 has completed locating underground lines around the dig site at the four-way stop at Miser Station. Under Tennessee law, emergency locates have up to two hours to mark underground utilities.
Our utility crew is now in the process of repairing the water line.
Water Main Break Located Road Impacts
The utility crew has located the water main break at the four-way stop at Miser Station.
An emergency 811 locate has been called in. Under Tennessee state law, 811 has up to two hours to locate underground lines before excavation can begin.
The following roads may be affected while crews work to make repairs:
• N. Union
• Chesney
• Alley Drive
• Drinnen
• Newman
• Miser Station
• Rhett Butler
• Clyde Hearon
• Michelle Drive
Please use caution in the area and avoid the intersection if possible while crews work. We appreciate your patience as our crews work to safely complete the repair. Updates will be provided as work progresses
What You See and Think, What We Know: The Leak Conversation
When a water leak occurs, we often hear the same questions from the public:
- “Why does Friendsville Utility have so many leaks?”
- “Do they even know how to fix them?”
- “Do they know what they’re doing?”
These are fair questions, and we believe in being honest and open with our community. The short answer is: Yes, we do know how to fix them, and we’re doing it every day. But the bigger answer lies in decades of history, changing materials, and inherited infrastructure challenges that we are actively working to correct.
What We Inherited
Much of Friendsville’s water system was installed between the 1960s and 1990s. During those times, state requirements were not as strict as they are today. Decisions were often made based on what was available, affordable, or easiest, not always what was best for the long term. Over the years, several things were passed down to us:
- Smaller-sized pipes are installed to cut costs
- Water lines are laid directly on rock instead of being properly bedded
- Inconsistent installation methods, sometimes without proper fittings
- Standard materials then, but are outdated or even unsafe by today’s standards (like asbestos cement and galvanized steel)
These shortcuts weren’t taken out of neglect; they were often the only options small towns could afford. But unfortunately, we’re now living with the consequences.
What We’re Doing About It
At Friendsville Utility, we’ve made it a priority to modernize the water system. That includes:
- Replacing old and brittle lines with larger, safer materials like PVC and ductile iron
- Upgrading main lines to reduce pressure stress and increase reliability
- Correcting past installation issues, such as poorly fitted saddles or pipes laid without proper bedding
- Seeking grants and outside funding to avoid burdening the ratepayers while we fix long-standing issues
Each time a leak happens, it's not always just about a quick fix; it’s often part of a larger, underlying issue we’re working to address permanently. Sometimes that means cutting into rock, navigating right-of-way challenges, or uncovering things underground that were never mapped.
Why It Takes Time
Leaks don’t happen on a schedule. They come suddenly, at all hours, and sometimes in hard-to-reach places, under roads, in fields, or even on private property. Our crew works day and night to respond as quickly and safely as possible, often with limited staff and equipment.
And while it may seem like "just another leak," each repair is part of a long process of building a stronger, more reliable system, something we’re committed to, one pipe at a time.
What You Can Do
We genuinely appreciate it when residents report leaks quickly. Your calls help us locate breaks more quickly, especially when they’re not visible above ground. If you notice standing water, a sudden drop in pressure, or any other unusual condition, please call us at 865-995-0243, ext. 101.
We hear your frustrations, and we’re working every day to turn them into progress. However, it’s essential to remember that our employees are here to do their job, and they work diligently every day to keep the system running.
When leaks occur, especially during extreme weather conditions such as intense heat or freezing temperatures, it’s frustrating for all and often even more so for the crews who are out in the elements making the repairs. They respond day or night, in rain, cold, or heat, doing everything they can to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
We appreciate your patience and support as we continue improving the system, one repair at a time.