Cookeville Sewer Extensions A Funding Priority For Department Director

The final design on a Cookeville Sewer Extension to Tennessee Avenue is wrapping up.

Water and Sewer Department Director Ronnie Kelly said the city has his request to use roughly $3 million in American Rescue Plan money for the project. Kelly said the American Rescue Plan money has not been received yet, but expects spending talks to ramp up quickly.

“We’re designing the project, we’re about finished with the design,” Kelly said. “So we’ll be starting to obtain the easements and then be letting the project out for construction, probably some time later this fall is our hope. We’re still moving forward because the project has got to be done.”

Kelly said the city is expecting roughly $9 million in American Rescue Plan funding, last hearing that money would become available in August. Kelly said the start of the project will be the most complicated, when lines are run up through the Cane Creek area.

“Getting up the creek, going up Cane Creek,” Kelly said. “We’re on the north side of the interstate. So from that point up to Tennessee Avenue, that first leg of work up through there is probably the most complicated.”

Tennessee Avenue is set to be the location of the new Putnam County Fairgrounds. Kelly said the American Rescue Plan funding is a good opportunity for Cookeville to address sewer and water projects.