Guinn takes MUD chairman’s seat Tuesday

Ten months after calling for long-term plan, Greg Guinn and MUD deal with aging waterlines, water losses, future demand

12:17 p.m. Oct. 13, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Greg Guinn takes over as Metro Utility Department chairman Tuesday with plenty of unfinished business. Ten months ago, he was the board member asking MUD to plan further ahead. Now he'll be the one running the meetings.

A major waterline replacement project is moving forward, and nearly 30% of the utility's September water supply was classified as lost after adjustments.

Guinn succeeds Barry Posluszny following the board's unanimous leadership vote Sept. 8. Darrel Richards nominated Glen Thomas for vice chairman, and that nomination also passed without opposition.

The board meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 705 Fayetteville Highway, with an engineer's report, manager's report, and a Main Street matter on the agenda.

• October 2026 MUD Agenda and Packet

Guinn has been asking MUD to look further ahead

Back in December 2025, Guinn, who also represented District 5 on the Metro Council, urged MUD to put together a written infrastructure plan covering the next seven to 10 years.

With the Retreat at Whiskey Creek underway and another apartment complex being discussed, Guinn wanted MUD looking beyond the next repair. What would Moore County's water and sewer systems need five or 10 years down the road?

His concerns included aging water tanks, regular infrastructure upgrades, and the possibility of adding another tank as demand grows. He wanted those plans on paper.

At the time, Posluszny said he had already discussed long-term planning with utility manager Ronnie Cunningham. Board members talked about upcoming tank inspections and designing pump stations with room for future expansion.

Guinn wasn't alone. Thomas and Richards had also raised concerns about planning ahead rather than waiting for costly problems to develop.

By the end of the December discussion, board members agreed a seven-to-10-year master plan was needed. The discussion did not establish a formal timeline for completing one.

Nearly 30% of water classified as lost

MUD produced or purchased approximately 29.68 million gallons of water in September. Customers were billed for about 20.58 million gallons. That leaves a difference of roughly 9.1 million gallons, or 30.66% of the total supply.

MUD labels the difference "Gallons Lost." For its internal calculations, the utility deducts 250,632 gallons attributed to leaks, flushing, fire department use, and other system activities. The adjusted calculation is not reported to the state.

After that adjustment, MUD reported losing 8,848,100 gallons, or 29.81% of its water supply.

The reported loss does not necessarily mean that much water leaked from the system. Metering discrepancies and other accounting differences can contribute to the gap. The September figures do not establish how much of the remaining loss came from actual leaks.

The department reported 2,791 connections during the month.

Waterline project moves toward next steps

One infrastructure project already moving forward is the replacement of galvanized waterlines along Chapman Acres and Highway 55.

In September, engineer Bryant Griffin presented an estimated combined cost of $583,330 for the Chapman Acres and Highway 55 work, including engineering and contingencies. For budgeting purposes, Griffin recommended allowing approximately $600,000.

The project would replace aging galvanized lines with four-inch waterlines. Chapman Acres has approximately 33 houses, while another eight or nine services along Highway 55 would be included.

The board approved moving forward with the work and authorized borrowing $1 million through the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund.

Griffin told members it could take approximately three months to obtain state approval before the project could be advertised for bids. Construction would follow the necessary approvals and bidding process.

Tuesday's engineer's report could provide an update on that timeline.

Development brings more questions about capacity

The utility's ability to serve new development was also part of Guinn's push for planning. At that meeting, board members discussed impact fees used by nearby counties to help finance infrastructure associated with new housing. Moore County did not qualify for those fees at the time.

In September, MUD approved a developer policy and a water-availability form intended to help determine whether the system can serve proposed construction before developers move ahead with their plans.

Board members also discussed capacity fees that would help recover the cost of expanding the system to accommodate growth. The September minutes do not record a separate vote formally adopting a capacity-fee policy.

The discussions come as Moore County's Planning and Zoning Commission considers new subdivision rules, with water availability another factor in determining how the county accommodates growth.