TDEC recommends leachate sampling; county budgets about $8,000 for initial tests

Public works staff told the committee that inspectors from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) visited on Jan. 5 to review landfill conditions. Staff said TDEC recommended resuming leachate sampling and that the county can pull samples and ship them to a Mount Juliet lab for analysis.

Staff estimated the initial sampling and testing cost at about $8,000 and said samples would be taken and either delivered or shipped to a local lab. If results show contamination above acceptable thresholds, staff warned the county could be required to haul leachate to the water treatment plant for processing, which would involve tanking and multiple trips.

Staff also described prior testing errors where a benchmark sampling location had been taken from a spring that was not representative of leachate; the new sampling plan aims to identify a fresh spring for accurate baseline tests. Members discussed sampling frequency — quarterly or biannual depending on results — and agreed the county has budgeted funds for the upcoming tests.

Staff said they expect results to be favorable but emphasized the need for stringent testing to establish a current baseline.