News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
State officials currently reviewing the White County landfill’s water table specifically for the proposed new cell.
TDEC officials, engineers and County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson met last week to discuss the next step.
“We are trying to determine how deep we can dig the hole to put the trash in,” Robinson said. “The deeper you dig, the more trash you can put in it, so we are trying to maximize air space in our landfill.”
Robinson said the water table would decide how far the county can dig. Robinson said opening a new landfill cell has been an ongoing process for three years at this point.
“Trying to get averages and see what is dry and what is wet,” Robinson said. “Many different areas within this landfill. It’s not just one spot. We have monitoring wells everywhere, so we can get the most accurate information to be the safest to the environment we can be.”
The other moving part in this process is the life span of the current landfill cell. Robinson said that study has been completed and found that the county has adequate space at this time.
“We’re trying to get the two to coordinate,” Robinson said.
Robinson said the survey did find a slope issue. The state requires a 2:1 slope of garbage. Robinson said the county is at 3:1 ratio. Robinson said a bulldozer will be coming in to change the angle this week. Robinson said trash is currently still being diverted.
