State official urges Crossville to consider joining Water Authority

Ross Colona, Assistant Director for Local Government at the Tennessee Comptroller’s office, addressed the Crossville City Council on Tuesday, pitching the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority as a “huge opportunity” for Crossville and the surrounding counties. Colona emphasized that the state is actively promoting regional solutions for water resources rather than individual municipal operations. He also noted that the state has concerns regarding some of the city’s current practices, specifically the policy of charging differing rates for customers located outside the city limits. During a question-and-answer session with the Council, Colona admitted he could not guarantee specific future water sources. However, he reassured officials that due to the “economies of scale” provided by a regional authority, city residents would not see an increase in rates under a merger.