Strategic Vision

Strategic planning provides a framework for decision making and planning for the future. A strategic plan could include, or be complemented by, an asset management plan and a financial plan for the utility. 

Promoting Sustainability of Resources

The biological processes we employ at the Water Resource Recovery Facility and raw water from J. Percy Priest Reservoir are sustainable because they are “renewable”. These great resources create the means to have a water and sewer utility. However, human resources are required for a utility to be of service to us. People make it happen.

Beneficially Managing Effluent

Murfreesboro relies on the West Fork Stones River (WFSR) as its primary effluent disposal avenue. Through ongoing biological assessments of the river over the past four years, results are dramatically proving that “the WFSR relies upon our 33 WRRF effluent for its vibrant biological health and even more notably its very existence in many months of the year”. 

The Water Resources Integration Plan (WRIP) 

The WRIP, completed in 2018, chronicles our history and projects our future with a strong focus on the necessary collaboration with our local stakeholders: CUD, Smyrna, and USCOE. The success of our continued growth, socioeconomic welfare, and sustainability largely depends on the availability of water and sewer services within the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and our collaborative participation with these stakeholders. Gold-Coast-Accountant-Strategic-Planning

Resource Recovery 

The MWRRF produces an effluent of exceptional quality which protects, sustains, and enhances the West Fork Stones River (WFSR). Furthermore, with the pending closure of the Middle Point Landfill, there is now a business case to justify the implementation of solids recovery to produce Class A EQ biosolids which are suitable for agricultural use as a soil amendment.

Human Resource Recruitment and Retention

Our important EUM goal of fostering Employee Leadership and Development has in recent years encountered an emerging challenge. Perhaps because of the improvement in the overall economy and/or the elimination of the defined benefit pension for City employees; and in conjunction with other changes to our own Class and Compensation policies, we are experiencing a problematic impact on our most precious and significant resource, our operational staff. 

In 2018, MWRD is prepared to engage with City management, City Council, and other department directors in a strategic evaluation of this issue. The Department’s culture is focused on delivery of services to its residents through the best workforce it can recruit and train. 

Promoting Efficiency in Systems and Practices

Maximizing AMI and Leak Detection Benefits

Our EUM Goal of Infrastructure Strategy and Performance (ISP) includes a strong focus on our efficiency in delivering water to our customers. AMI and system-wide leak sensors are new tools to monitor the integrity and performance of our distribution network. Our AMI staff is actively engaged in maximizing the potential benefits it affords us. 

Regaining Wastewater Collection/Treatment Capacity 

Our capacity to efficiently collect and treat wastewater is vital to public health, necessary for environmental protection, and directly proportional to our capacity to serve a rapidly growing service population. Gravity sewer systems are highly vulnerable to infiltration/inflow from rainfall events and groundwater. 

Water Sustainability

Managing Sewer System Growth 

  • The sewer service population growth rate set a new high in 2017, confirming projections.
  • Major collection system expansion projects continue as the new Northeast Regional Pump Station and force main is now on the drawing board. This new station will relieve capacity on the Sinking Creek Interceptor and provide capacity for new growth to the east and northeast.
  • In 2017, three new developments in the CUD water service area have applied for annexation and will be served by MWRD-maintained STEP systems. 
  • Our newly named Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility has been expanded (completed in Nov 2017) with a design capacity of 24 MGD.

Maximizing Business Intelligence 

Over the past 4 years, MWRD has endeavored to enhance overall operational efficiency and customer service through the implementation of multiple Information Technology (IT) improvements. MWRD is committed to continually improve to afford our technicians, operators, field and customer service reps, engineering and administrative staff the ability to efficiently and effectively mine, analyze and deliver data to support operations and our customer needs.