By Bill Grubb
News Editor

ROGERSVILLE - The city is using the latest technology to create a comprehensive map of sewer lines and will then do one for water lines.
    Rogersville Water Superintendent Shawn Hatchett updated the Water Commission on the status of the mapping project at Monday's meeting.
    According to the Superintendent the project, which uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has, thus far, followed the main sewer interceptor line from the Rogersville Middle School to the outfall line.
    "In that segment alone there were approximately 100 manholes," Hatchett said.  "That's the first step.  Tomorrow (December 11) will be day two and we plan on going from the far end back to the school."
    The process will then shift to trunk lines and should be finished in two weeks, including downloading the information on computers.
    "We've never had one (a map) and it's mandated that we have one, so we're looking forward to getting it done," the superintendent said.
    He also said the same group will probably map the water lines, and he will bring the commission details on that project after the first of the year.
    "With the maps our men won't have to work harder, we're just going to be smarter on how we send them out to work.  We're going to become more efficient," Hatchett explained.
    In other business, Hatchett advised the commission that a Community Development Block Grant meeting was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
    Earlier this year the utility received $500,000 in CDBG funding to install a water filtration system.
     The town purchased a used MIEX water filtration system from an Ohio utility for $100,000.  In comparison, a similar new filtration system would cost approximately $1.35 million, he added.
    The used equipment is a surface water system and is not compatible with the Ohio utility's new plant.  Hatchett also said officials in Ohio said the system "performed perfectly" and took care of water quality problems similar to those encountered by the Rogersville system on previous occasions.
    The superintendent said representatives of the First Tennessee Development District, aiding with the grant, and from the state will meet to review the equipment and the prospective site.
    "They want to see where we are going to put this piece of equipment," Hatchett said.  "Instead of them just giving us the money or us telling them where we are going to put it, they want to see it.  We're serious about what we want to do."
    Hatchett said the land acquisition for the project is still on schedule and once the system gets the land is for the engineer to design a structure to house the equipment.