Portland calls for voluntary water restrictions as city’s resources dwindle in the drought

PORTLAND, Tenn. (WKRN) — Portland has joined a growing list of Tennessee cities who are enacting voluntary water restrictions for their residents.

The city says they are nearing “emergency status” with their water supply due to the drought and low levels at their two water sources: West Forks Drake Creek and Portland City Lake.

“Portland is the only utility in Sumner County that’s not connected its raw water supply to the Cumberland River,” explained Portland Mayor Mike Callis. “We’re hoping for some rain to come in, but it’s nothing new for the city of Portland. We’ve been struggling with a raw water supply issue for many years.”

Mayor Callis told News 2 that Portland is currently working on a collaborative grant that would build a 23-mile water pipeline from Gallatin to Portland and deliver up to two million gallons of drinking water per day. However, funding is a concern.

“We’ve been looking for options for many years, along the way, and we’re closer now than we have been for a supplement with this water transmission line. But we still need help, and we need help from the state of Tennessee,” Callis said. “We have about $20 million in grant funding. This project will require tens of millions more to make this a reality.”

Callis is hopeful mandatory water restrictions can be avoided. He said he’s praying, literally, for more rainfall this week.

“As I tell folks all the time, I pray a lot for rain. When you’re the mayor of the city of Portland, you don’t have much water, I do a lot of asking the good lord ‘hey, we need a little rain!’”

Long-term, Callis said Portland must find a way to retain the water that often floods their creek. For now, he considers these optional water restrictions a natural pitfall of drought.

“If Franklin, Tennessee, who has the Harpeth River, has to put in voluntary restrictions, then you know things are tough,” said the mayor.

⏩ Read today’s top stories on wkrn.com

In a written statement, Callis expanded on his belief that changes must be made to help Portland’s water outlook.

All across Tennessee, and in the City of Portland, effluent from wastewater treatment plants is going unused. This pre-treated water could be a valuable resource for any non-potable use such as firefighting, irrigation, and recharging of lakes and reservoirs, especially during drought like conditions. Portland’s wastewater effluent is currently being discharged to a separate stream and watershed, all the while our raw water supply from a separate source is dwindling.

Mayor Callis

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.