CPWA: Planning Today for Tomorrow's Water Needs
Learn what a potential merger with the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority could mean for employees, customers, infrastructure, rates, and the long-term future of the Plateau.
Why Should a Merger Be Considered?
Aging Infrastructure
Future Water Supply
Rising Costs
Potential Benefits of a Merger
A merger is about strengthening public utility service, improving long-term planning, and creating a larger platform to support the needs of Crossville and the region.
Rate Stability
Infrastructure Improvement
Better Funding Position
Operational Strength
Water Security
Local Service Continues
The infrastructure remains in the community and continues serving all customers, with CPWA responsible for operating and improving it.
Protecting Employees
The employees who operate and maintain the merging utility system are essential to its future. Their knowledge, experience, and local understanding are valuable assets.
Section 6(e) of TN Senate Bill 2920 states: “The Authority will ensure that all employees acquired through contract with any utilities, will not suffer any loss of wages and benefits, and all employees of the Authority will be members of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS), or may continue in their current retirement program.”
Employee Protection Matters
- Employment continuity should be a priority in any merger agreement.
- Local experience and institutional knowledge remain critical to system operations.
- A larger organization can create expanded training and career opportunities.
- Employees may benefit from broader support, standardized policies, and long-term organizational stability.
Who Owns the Utility Assets?
A merger does not mean the infrastructure leaves the community. The water and sewer assets remain physically located where they are and continue serving the same customers.
Today
If A Utility Merges with CPWA
Do My Tax Dollars Pay for the Water and Wastewater System?
No. The water and wastewater system is operated as an enterprise fund, which means it is financially separate from the General Fund.
How Are the Water and Wastewater Systems Funded?
The operation, maintenance, repair, and improvement of the water and wastewater system are funded primarily through customer rates and fees, not property taxes or general tax revenues.
Revenue collected from utility customers is used to pay for:
- Daily operations
- Water and wastewater treatment
- Infrastructure maintenance and repairs
- Capital improvement projects
- Equipment replacement
- Debt service related to utility projects
- Regulatory compliance
- Future system investments
These funds are dedicated to supporting the utility and the customers it serves.
What Happens to My Tax Dollars?
- Police services
- Fire protection
- Parks and recreation
- Streets and public works
- Administration
- Other general government operations
Why Is This Important?
Understanding how utilities are funded helps explain that decisions regarding water and wastewater systems are generally based on the financial needs of the utility itself, not on general tax revenues.
Whether operated by a City or by the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority, the water and wastewater system is expected to generate the revenue necessary to operate, maintain, and improve the system through the rates paid by its customers.
Bottom Line: Water and wastewater bills, not City tax dollars, fund the operation and long-term sustainability of the utility system.
Concern: "Are we giving away our assets."
Fact: The assets remain public utility assets.
The purpose of a transfer is to place long-term responsibility for operation, maintenance, improvement, compliance, and planning under the regional public authority responsible for service.
Who Owns the Water?
Water Is a Public Resource Regulated by the State
Surface water and water withdrawals are regulated by the State of Tennessee through applicable laws and regulatory agencies. Utilities obtain the right and authorization to withdraw, treat, and distribute water for public use in accordance with those requirements.
The focus of a merger is not “selling the water.” It is about who is best positioned to responsibly manage, treat, deliver, maintain, and invest in the infrastructure needed to serve customers now and in the future.
Additional Topics Citizens Ask About
Governance & Representation
Debt & Financial Planning
Economic Development
Emergency Response
Customer Service
Transparency
The Bottom Line
A merger is not about removing assets. It is about placing public utility infrastructure under regional stewardship so it can be operated, maintained, improved, and protected for future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my water still be safe?
Yes. Drinking water quality remains regulated by state and federal standards regardless of which public utility operates the system.
Will rates immediately increase?
A merger does not automatically require an immediate rate increase. Any future rate decisions would be made through the appropriate governing process and should be based on cost of service, capital needs, debt, and long-term planning.
Will a merging utility employees lose their jobs?
Does CPWA take the assets out of the merging utility?
No. The physical infrastructure remains in the community and continues serving local customers. The responsibility for managing and improving those assets would shift to the regional authority if the merger is approved and finalized.
Why does regionalization matter?
Regionalization allows communities to share planning, costs, equipment, staffing, expertise, financing, and long-term water resource strategies instead of each system trying to solve major challenges alone.
What happens next?
Citizens should continue reviewing information, asking questions, attending public meetings, and learning about the potential benefits and responsibilities involved in a merger.
Financial & Operational Snapshot
17,000+
Regional
Public
Long-Term
Myth vs. Fact
Myth: “This is giving away our water.”
Myth: “Tax dollars pay for the utility.”
Myth: “Employees are no longer needed.”
Myth: “The assets leave.”
Myth: “Rates automatically increase.”
Myth: “We lose our voice.”
Fact: Cumberland Plateau Water Authority Board Structure
The Cumberland Plateau Water Authority (CPWA) is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners established by state law to provide balanced representation from across Cumberland County and the City of Crossville.
Board Composition
- One (1) representative from the former Crab Orchard Utility District
- One (1) representative from the former South Cumberland Utility District
- One (1) representative from the former West Cumberland Utility District
- One (1) representative from the former Catoosa Utility District (as it existed prior to its consolidation with the City of Crossville in 2005)
- Three (3) representatives from within the City of Crossville, excluding areas already represented by the former Crab Orchard, South Cumberland, or West Cumberland Utility District boundaries
Appointment Process
- The Cumberland County Mayor appoints the four representatives from the former utility districts, subject to approval by the Cumberland County Commission.
- The Mayor of the City of Crossville appoints the three City representatives, subject to approval by the Crossville City Council.
Qualifications
To serve on the Board, a commissioner must:
- Be a person of good standing and reputation.
- Have been a resident of Cumberland County for at least one year.
- Reside within the geographic area represented by the position.
- Not be an employee of any water or wastewater utility in Cumberland County.
Terms of Office
- Initial appointments were staggered to create continuity on the Board.
- After the initial terms, all commissioners serve four-year terms.
- Commissioners continue serving until a successor has been appointed and qualified.
- Vacancies are filled by the same appointing authority responsible for the original appointment, and the replacement must reside within the same geographic area.
Board Operations
- A majority of commissioners constitutes a quorum for conducting business.
- Each commissioner has one equal vote on all matters before the Board.
- he Board elects a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary annually from among its members.
- Meetings are conducted as public meetings in accordance with the Tennessee Open Meetings Act.
- The Board establishes its own rules of procedure and conducts business through motions and resolutions.
Compensation
Board Members:
- Serve without a salary.
- May receive a per diem, established by Board resolution, of up to $300 per meeting for no more than 12 meetings per calendar year.
- May be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred while performing official duties in accordance with CPWA policy.
- May be eligible for medical and life insurance benefits to the same extent as CPWA employees, if authorized by the Board.
Governance Philosophy
The Board’s structure was intentionally designed to provide regional representation while ensuring that both the former utility districts and the City of Crossville have a voice in the Authority’s governance. Every commissioner has an equal vote, reinforcing the principle that decisions are made collaboratively and in the best interests of the entire regional utility system rather than any single community.
Current Merger Discussions in Process
Citizens deserve to understand the steps involved. This timeline can be updated as public meetings, studies, agreements, and referendum milestones occur.
CPWA, leaders, consultants, employees, and citizens begin reviewing the potential benefits, concerns, and requirements of regionalization.
City voters consider whether to authorize the Council to continue moving forward with the potential merger process.
Regional Service Area & Infrastructure Map
Community Video Library
Independent Approach vs. Regional Approach
Independent Approach
- Future capital costs are carried by a smaller customer base.
- Major projects may create greater rate pressure.
- Redundancy and emergency support may be more limited.
- Planning can become fragmented across multiple systems.
- Funding applications may be evaluated as individual system needs.
Regional CPWA Approach
- Future infrastructure costs can be planned across a broader system.
- Regional scale can support long-term rate stability.
- Shared crews, equipment, and resources improve response capability.
- Capital planning can be coordinated across service areas.
- A regional utility may be better positioned for certain funding opportunities.
Download Center
A central document library gives citizens a single place to find presentations, reports, studies, agendas, financial information, and public meeting materials.
Stay Informed. Ask Questions. Learn the Facts.
CPWA is committed to transparency and public education as the utilities evaluate their water and wastewater future. These decisions are about long-term service, infrastructure, employees, rate stability, and the future of the Cumberland Plateau.