Service Area

Eastside Utility District provides water to consumers in Hamilton and Bradley counties and through wholesale meters to consumers in Catoosa and Whitfield counties. Eastside’s defined service area lies within Bradley and Hamilton counties where we serve 24,000 customers in a 51 square mile area of Hamilton County, delivering water through 467 miles of water mains. In Bradley County we directly serve approximately 19 square miles of mostly a rural area, serving approximately 1,855 residents, delivering water through 35 miles of water mains. Eastside Utility also sales water to wholesale customers including; Savannah Valley Utility District, Ocoee Utility District, Cleveland Utilities, Catoosa County Water Authority and Dalton Utilities. Our service area also includes the Enterprise South Industrial Park which serves as the anchor for continued growth and economic development for Chattanooga and the surrounding tri-state area.

Treatment Facilities & Source of Supply

Source of Supply: When Eastside Utility was originally chartered in 1958 it developed a series of wells located on Short Tail Springs Road known as Carson Springs. This was the primary source of supply until Eastside Utility acquired its current treatment plant.

Treatment Plant - General Information: The water treatment plant sits on a 125 acre tract located at the intersection of Claude Ramsey Pkwy. and State Route Highway 58. Raw water is taken from the Tennessee River at the Chickamauga Reservoir and then pumped approximately 1⅔ miles east to the treatment plant. The water then flows by gravity through the treatment process and is subsequently pumped into the distribution system for delivery to the customer.

Treatment Plant Treatment Process: Raw, untreated water is taken from the Tennessee River where it is passed through a series of chambers, grates and screens to remove larger debris like tree limbs, twigs, leaves etc. The water is then pumped through a 48 inch steel main traveling approximately 1⅔ miles to the raw water reservoir located at the water treatment plant. The water then flows by gravity, at controlled rates from the raw water reservoir to the flocculation chambers where coagulant chemicals are added and flocculators (giant mixing paddles) gently stir the water, causing the finely suspended particles to become heavy and quickly fall out of the water. The water continues its journey through the sedimentation basin and tube settlers where the particulate removal process continues. Water is then routed to the mixed media filters for the final stage in the filtering process. This process removes microbial level particles by passing the water through several layers of varying coarseness filter media material, including activated carbon. The final stage in the treatment process is to add disinfectant (chlorine), fluoride and a corrosion inhibitor just prior to the finished water being stored in the clearwells (large enclosed containment reservoirs) waiting to be pumped into the distribution system for final delivery to customer’s tap. The entire water treatment process from start to finish, takes on average approximately 10 to 12 hours to complete.

Board of Commissioners
Eastside Utility District is governed by a Board of Commissioners consisting of three members; two from Hamilton County and one from Bradley County. Board members are appointed by the appropriate county mayor for the county in which the board member resides. Board members are appointed for a three year term and may serve for more than one term. The Board of Commissioners is the governing body for the utility district, establishing policies, approving and reviewing budgets, setting rates and issuing rulings on customer complaints which occasionally rise to that level.

The Board meets on the second Thursday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at the business office located at 3018 Claude Ramsey Parkway, adjacent to the Hamilton County School Board. The meetings are open to the public and anyone may address the Board provided they have previously been placed on the meeting agenda. Any customer who wishes to be placed on the agenda for an upcoming meeting may do so by contacting the General Manager a minimum of seven days prior to the upcoming meeting to initiate the request.

Regulatory Oversight

A number of federal, state and local governmental agencies and professional organizations establish compliance criteria and performance standards and provide regulatory oversight, training, guidance and support, and licensing for the utility district. These entities include:

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) – This federal agency sets federal water quality standards for water treatment and environmental compliance.
   
• Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) – This state agency enforces minimal federal water quality standards as established by USEPA in addition to promulgating state water quality standards. The agency performs field compliance audits, laboratory and water treatment plant inspections and certifications, and training and certification for state licensed water operators.
   
• State of Tennessee Comptroller’s Office – This state agency establishes and enforces minimum financial performance criteria and standards for all Tennessee utility districts.
   
• State of Tennessee Revenue Department – Tax Enforcement: Provides oversight and audits the collection and reporting of all sales tax collected through customers’ bills.
   
• Tennessee Homeland Security and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) – These agencies provide oversight of security and emergency planning and response readiness for Tennessee’s local utility providers.

Our Mission

To provide Safe, Reliable, and Cost-Effective water services to our customers while ensuring the protection of public health and the environment.