https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_56da7bb0-bf7a-11ee-8e85-1bddd1887e20.html

(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s inventory of infrastructure needs is $5.4 billion higher than a year ago, according to a new report from the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.

The largest increases included post-secondary education ($1.2 billion) and both water and wastewater projects ($1.1 billion).

The largest driver for the increase was $506 million in an estimated cost increase for a Nashville sewer system upgrade related to a consent decree from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Of the new projects, four were $30 million or more: a new water treatment plant in Wilson County ($75 million), an intake line to the Pigeon Forge Water Treatment Plant in Sevier County ($50 million), a sewer upgrade in Kingsport ($40 million), and a new water plant in Lewisburg ($30 million),” the TACIR report said. “The increased cost of existing water and wastewater infrastructure needs is primarily driven by a single project that increased by $506 million (69%) as a result of updated cost estimates.”