In a recent very detailed sanitary survey conducted by the State of Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Supply, Fayetteville Public Utilities' Water Treatment Plant received a score of 99 on its water treatment process and quality of water produced.

FPU's main water treatment facility located along the Elk River received the seal of approval on May 4^th in accordance with the Tennessee Safe Drinking Water Act and the Sanitary Survey Manual for Public Community Water Supplies. The sanitary survey letter from TDEC finds "all buildings and equipment used in and for the production and distribution of water to be well maintained and be reliable and fit for the purpose for which they are used".  The survey also included inspection of the system's records.

The water system received a score of 99 along with three written recommendations for improvement which include removing vegetation from property fences at the Howell and Holman Hill water storage tanks and for the plant's turbidimeters to be calibrated at least every three months with primary standards.  During the survey it was observed that these primary standards had expired, but new standards had already been ordered and were scheduled to arrive the following day.

"Our water department employees have worked hard to ensure that Fayetteville has safe, clean, quality drinking water," says Britt Dye, CEO and General Manager of Fayetteville Public Utilities. "Each year we must deal with tougher regulations and testing requirements, but our water crew always meets every standard for water quality."

"We have many system improvements planned for the next fiscal year including construction of a new water treatment facility which will greatly improve water collection and treatment processes," he adds. "In addition to the new plant and other overall system upgrades, we are planning to build two new water storage tanks; one at Holman Hill and one at Howell. Both tanks are currently in need of replacement."

"Our main focus is always to provide safe, quality service in all areas of the utility business," Dye says.

Fayetteville Public Utilities' water system has a water storage capacity of 3.425 million gallons. The treatment plant is designed to produce a maximum of 5 million gallons of drinking water per day. On average the plant produces 2 million gallons per day.

The sanitary survey is conducted every two years by TDEC.