The utility company announced it plans to invest more than $40 million into water system improvements during 2026, including major upgrades to storage capacity, aging infrastructure, and system reliability.
A significant portion of those improvements are taking place in the Whitwell service area, where Tennessee American Water has continued expanding and modernizing the local water system in recent years following its acquisition of the former West Valley Water System.
Among the largest projects now underway are new water storage tanks serving the Whitwell area. According to the company, one newly completed tank holds approximately 420,000 gallons of water and was finished earlier this spring. A second tank with an additional 365,000 gallons of storage capacity is expected to be completed later this summer.
Earlier this year, Tennessee American Water also announced that two new storage tanks at the Whitwell Water Treatment Plant had added roughly 785,000 gallons of additional storage capacity — increasing overall storage in the area by more than 50 percent. Company officials say the upgrades are designed to improve reliability during peak demand periods and emergency situations.
The company has invested heavily in the Whitwell and Marion County system since taking over operations years ago. Previous projects have included replacing the old Whitwell Incline water tank, upgrading approximately 5,000 feet of water main in the Red Hill area along Old Dunlap Road, replacing aging meters with automatic-reading models, and developing long-term plans for leak detection, pressure improvements, and additional tank construction.
Tennessee American Water officials say those investments are aimed at improving long-term reliability while preparing the local system for future growth.
“At Tennessee American Water, investing in infrastructure is ongoing, essential work that supports the customers and communities we serve,” said Tennessee American Water President Grant Evitts. “By modernizing aging infrastructure and strengthening our systems, we are helping ensure dependable water service and protect public health for all we serve now and in the future.”
Outside Marion County, the utility is also constructing a new 750,000-gallon elevated water storage tank in Lookout Valley, replacing water mains in Chattanooga’s Glenwood area and East Ridge, and rehabilitating the water storage tank along Amnicola Highway that supports the iconic “Phillip D. Glass” landmark.
According to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, communities across the state are expected to need more than $7 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure improvements over the next five years.