CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – When the City of Clarksville leaders introduced the 2026 budget, they spoke about stormwater drainage being a short- and long-term priority. During the City Council meeting this week, Gas & Water General Manager Mark Riggins expanded on the city’s plans.
“Due to the apparent issues with stormwater throughout the city, in different areas, through many conversations with our department, the Street Department, Mayor’s Office and beyond, we felt the need to at least study the possible need to create a Storm Water Utility,” Riggins said Tuesday.
After a comparison with other utilities, and other cities the size of Clarksville, Riggins said in most cases a Storm Water Utility is overseen by departments that deal with water and/or sewer, not streets. This is why management of the city’s stormwater infrastructure may be moved from the Street Department to Gas & Water, as previously reported.
Storm water study, hiring of expert
Riggins said in the fiscal year 2026 budget, they’ve proposed two things: budgeting $1 million for a stormwater study and hiring a stormwater operations division manager, who is expected to be an expert in the field. Gas & Water is having a “water reuse” study performed, which is a yearlong study costing a half-million dollars. Riggins expects the stormwater study to take a year as well, but at double the cost…