JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. — The town of Jonesborough is marking a milestone as it celebrates the third anniversary of its successful collaboration with Washington County under the Water Partnership program. This initiative has been enhancing public utility services since 2022, bringing substantial benefits to the local community.

Kevin Brobeck, who manages utilities for the Town of Jonesborough, highlighted the progress made since the partnership’s inception. Over the past three years, the town has successfully installed 220 new service taps and laid down an impressive 190,000 feet of new waterlines, effectively expanding access to clean water for its residents.

One of the significant accomplishments of this partnership was its response to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The program has been instrumental in assisting over 350 households, many of which had their water services restored promptly. Brobeck emphasized the efficiency of their response, noting that having a stockpile of essential materials expedited the restoration process by three to four weeks.

“Thankfully, because we had a reserve of pipes, we managed to restore water to everyone within two weeks,” Brobeck stated. “For those whose homes were still intact, water services were back up in just three days.”

Brobeck also highlighted the strategic decision to employ their own crews for the work, which proved to be cost-effective. “We really got more value for our money by managing the installations ourselves,” he remarked, underscoring the partnership’s efficiency and effectiveness.

“I mean, we were able to put in so much more water for the money,” he said.

The next project the crews will complete will provide water to residents who rely on wells that are no longer accessible, including on Hartsell Road, Brobeck said.

“They have to go store and buy bottled water,” he said. “And you can imagine trying to live in a house with bottled water, trying to cook, clean, take showers. Just think about that. So I mean, water is very important. It’s a central part of life.”

He said that although residents are without running water, they are not without gratitude.

“And they, it’s just so rewarding to be able to provide water to people that don’t have water,” he said. “And when you don’t have, it’s when you appreciate it.”

Brobeck did not specify when the water partnership project would be completed, but below is a breakdown of all the ways the partnership has helped the town, courtesy of Jonesborough Mayor Joe Grandy’s office:

Core Partnership Achievements

• Waterline Installed: 190,000 feet (approximately 36 miles) of new waterline installed in unincorporated Washington County
• Customer Impact: Serviced more than 350 new customers, bringing reliable water to areas previously without established service

Funding and Fiscal Responsibility

• Total Grant Funding: The partnership has leveraged a $6.4 million TDEC Water Infrastructure Investment Plan grant, strategically combined with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds
• Local Tax Impact: All capital expenditures were funded through grants and federal relief, ensuring zero reliance on local tax dollars

Operational Model and Governance

• County Responsibility: Washington County pays for the dedicated personnel, equipment and material costs
• Jonesborough Responsibility: The Town of Jonesborough supervises the crew and the daily projects, ensuring technical quality and integration into the Jonesborough Regional Water System

Hurricane Helene

• Disaster Resilience: The availability of the dedicated crew and materials proved vital when they were able to dedicate efforts to repairing system damage on the south side of the Nolichucky River following Hurricane Helene, including the areas of Bumpass Cove, Embreeville, South Central and others