Delight Council Renews Murfreesboro Water Contract, Approves System Upgrades

The Delight City Council met Monday evening for its regular monthly meeting, with water service agreements and infrastructure improvements among the topics discussed.

Following a presentation from Murfreesboro Water Commissioner Jack Bennett, aldermen voted to renew the water contract between the City of Delight and the City of Murfreesboro for an additional five years. City officials had reportedly considered joining the Antoine Water System, but upgrades to that system could take five to six years to complete, making it an impractical option in the near term.

Bennett told the council that Murfreesboro’s water treatment facility processes approximately 46 million gallons of water annually, generating $950,973 in revenue each year. Of that amount, $111,452 comes from the City of Delight. According to Bennett, Delight accounts for about 35 percent of the water treated by the system, while revenue from Delight represents roughly 12 percent of Murfreesboro’s total water revenue.

In other business, aldermen approved a $4,500 upgrade to the water department’s billing system. The upgrade will be provided by Online Water Bill, a company that generates much of its revenue through small service fees charged to customers who choose to pay their bills online. Delight water customers will continue to have the option of automatic bank drafts or making payments in person at the water office.

Council members were also informed that the water department plans to use the remaining funds from its water tower grant to improve the city’s water infrastructure. Projects will include upgrades to pumps at the pump house and the replacement of several fire hydrants throughout Delight. The city has approximately $350,000 remaining from the grant, and the funds must be spent before the end of the year.