Operational Departments

For developers, the following list will provide an overview of the departments within Consolidated Utility District (CUD) that can provide guidance and/or resources as new building sites require assistance with infrastructure. If you have any questions, please call (615) 893-7225, and we will connect you with the team that can best address your needs.

• Our Project Department supervises development from planning through construction by working with developers and contractors to meet all local and federal guidelines. This involves coordination in the plan review process and approval of submitted plans, billing of construction-related fees, processing of public line extension projects for TDEC (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation)  approval, inspection of public water line projects, acquisition of easements for public line extension projects, and management of TDOT right-of-way permits for road crossings.
• Our Water Quality Department ensures that all facilities are inspected and meet TDEC regulations for the integrity and protection of the water distribution system. TDEC requires cross-connection control, backflow prevention testing, and flushing to meet water quality standards.
• CUD’s Inspection Department protects our public water system and acts to guarantee that all improvements meet CUD standards and applicable laws. Our inspectors work with contractors to ensure water and sewer projects comply with local and federal regulations. They also manage testing of new infrastructure and provide coordination between contractors and property owners to ensure infrastructure is installed correctly as easements were acquired.
• Easement procurement is a vital step toward installing new water service or moving an existing waterline. Without approval from private owners or the courts, a new waterline project simply cannot go forward.
• CUD uses an automated meter reading (AMR) system for customer service, billing accuracy, and identification of leaks. The AMR system minimizes the need to access customer property and reduces fuel consumption in our vehicles. AMR also provides alerts if your meter has shown 24-hour continuous usage, tampering, reverse flow, no usage, and damaged or cut wires.
• Our Leak Detection Team manages an ongoing leak survey of our distribution system. This helps us to reduce water loss due to increasing costs of production and prevents a reduction in the water supply. CUD only performs leak detection services on distribution mains and service lines that belong to CUD.
• Our Wastewater Team maintains an innovative system known as decentralized wastewater treatment and disposal, which allows for high density development (subdivisions) in areas where City sewer is not available or soil types don’t allow for conventional septic tank and drain field lines.
• Our Maintenance Department ensures the continuous operation of our water distribution and delivery system that spans more than 1,400 miles within Rutherford County. Their work includes installation of new water lines and taps, repair of water line leaks and breaks, repair or replacement of broken meters and equipment, and maintenance and flushing of fire hydrants.
• The K. Thomas Hutchinson Water Treatment Plant for Consolidated Utility District began production in 1983 as a 4 million gallons a day (MGD) plant. The plant has expanded in size significantly and now has the capability to produce up to 32 million gallons of water per day.
• In addition, the Tennessee Division of Water Resources has granted Consolidated Utility District (CUD) a water quality NPDES permit allowing CUD to pump up to approximately 0.1 million gallons per day of water from the Lower Cumberland River Basin (Stones River Watershed) to the Duck River Watershed.