Cumberland Utility District of Roane and Morgan Counties was created in 1958 through a desperate need for a viable, safe drinking water supply to accommodate the rural areas of Roane and Morgan Counties, which are surrounded by Oliver Springs, Harriman, Kingston, Oak Ridge, and Wartburg. It is conceded that the availability of good water was paramount to the growth for this area of Roane and Morgan Counties. A group of 92 interested citizens led by S.S. Crass, Jr. initiated action to meet the need for water. Cumberland Utility became a reality with assistance from Attorney Frank Qualls, Mr. Crass., Mr. Marvin Webster and Mr. Eliga Davis. A government matching grant of $500,000 was acquired to establish a Utility District thanks to the assistance of Howard Baker, Sr. A.E. Bost, a Knoxville based engineering firm, was selected to develop a Master Plan for the new water district. The scope of work included the physical layout of the new system, detail design and specifications for the Treatment Facilities and Water Distribution System. A.E. Bost’s Master Plan was a forty year plan to use Dickey Springs, in Roane County, as the main source of water. In the initial phase, Dickey Springs was to supply a maximum of 1,200 customers. The design included a 0.25 Million Gallon per Day Water Treatment Facility that withdrew and treated water from the Little Emory embayment. The contract to build these facilities was awarded to a local general contractor, Brownlee and Kesterson Construction Co.

The District’s first Board of Commissioners was originally comprised of Mr. S.S. Crass, Jr., Mr. Marvin Webster, and Mr. Eliga Davis. When Mr. Davis resigned from the Board to accept the position as the District’s first General Manager. Mr. Fred Hamby was elected as his replacement. During his 30 year tenure on the Board, Mr. Hamby made numerous and commendable contributions. Other former Board members who served commendably and helped guide the District include Mr. Mike Jones, Mr. Robert West, Dr. Jackie Jackson, and Mr. Jack Bullens. The District had its first water sales in January, 1965 to 482 customers. Today, the District has grown to over 4400 customers. Customer growth for the District has been at a fairly low rate but at a steady pace. In 1981, the District expanded to meet the demands of users in the area to include Wartburg and Sunbright. Over the years, as the number of customers grew and new water regulations were enacted, the District has had two major plant expansions and numerous upgrades or expansions to the water distribution system. The District’s Water Distribution System has grown from the original 55 miles of waterline and two booster pumping stations to over 200 miles of waterline and five booster pumping stations. Cumberland Utility District looks to the future to provide a better livelihood for its customers and citizenry.

Cumberland Utility District is a non-profit Water Municipality that sells potable (safe and regulated) drinking water to rural parts of Roane and Morgan Counties. The District’s main facility, which has the Business Office and Treatment Facility, is located in Roane County, 3201 Harriman Highway, Harriman, Tennessee 37748. The District’s major elements are; River intake with a Raw Water Pumping and Transmission System, Water Treatment Operation, Potable Water Distribution and Transmission System, Distribution and Maintenance Operation and Business Office. Raw Water is withdrawn from the Little Emory River and is pumped to the water treatment plant under state regulations. The treatment facility is classified as a Surface Water Treatment Facility and has a treatment capacity of 2.5 Million Gallons per Day (MGD).