FAQ's

LAKE TANSI SEPTIC AND SEWER INFO

AS OF JULY, 2015---“THE REAL STORY”

One of the most asked questions about Lake Tansi Lake & Golf Resort is the current “correct” information about septic and sewer services at Lake Tansi, so this information has been compiled to let all parties know all the details about the history, and current status, of Lake Tansi’s septic and sewer services.

Lake Tansi was originally developed in the 1970’s, and several thousand residential lots were sold. Since the 1970’s, until 2012, all homes and buildings built at Lake Tansi were built using septic systems. When a person wanted to build a home, the lot was “perk” tested, and that test determined the number of bedrooms were allowed for that home. Back in the 1970’s, most lots perked at Lake Tansi- but over the next 30 years, the EPA made the perk test requirements more and more stringent, and some lots did not perk for a “regular” septic system. But, you could still build a home at Lake Tansi in most cases using a “Wisconsin Mound” septic system. But most people did not know about, or had never heard of the “Wisconsin Mound” above ground system, and mistakenly thought that their lot “would not perk“, and was not buildable, which was actually not the case. This incorrect information has been perpetuated for the last 20-30 years at Lake Tansi- in truth, about 80-90% of all lots at Lake Tansi can be built on using a “Wisconsin Mound” septic system.

So from the 1970’s to about 2010, over 2,500 homes and condos were built at Lake Tansi, using septic systems, many regular, and also some “Wisconsin Mounds” This many septic systems, leaching into the ground, was beginning to damage the water quality of the 4 lakes at Lake Tansi, and in 2010, when the main septic system for the Lake Tansi POA buildings and facilities failed, the State of Tennessee and the EPA refused to allow Lake Tansi to build a new septic system, and demanded that a sewer plant, which had been extensively discussed for many years, be built for Lake Tansi. So Lake Tansi was forced to approve and purchase and install a $1,2 million dollar state of the art “Bio Membrane” sewer plant at Lake Tansi in 2012. This is the same kind of sewer plant used by the city of Los Angeles, CA, and can easily be expanded to any size needed. The sewer plant, which started operating in April, 2012, can currently provide sewer service to about 1000 new Lake Tansi homes, and plans were made to expand the plant and provide sewer service to all new homes and condos in Lake Tansi in 2013-16. The state of Tennessee approved an expansion of the sewer plant to allow service for up to 4000 new homes, and a bond issue for $9.2 million was approved in 2012 to fund in November, 2012, to expand the sewer plant and also expand the sewer service area to the entire Lake Tansi community.

Unfortunately, there was a small group of less than 40 self serving people that objected to having to pay a “sewer availability fee” and hookup fee and they filed a lawsuit in September, 2012, to try and get grandfathered in or favorable treatment , and that lawsuit halted the planned Lake Tansi sewer plant expansion. The primary complainer was an owner of 18 apartments that was going have to pay about $60,000 to hook up to the sewer service because he was using a septic system that was failing, and he did not want to pay the costs. That owner is currently being sued by both the State of Tennessee and the EPA for violations. When the lawsuit is settled, the Lake Tansi sewer plant, at the demand of the state of Tennessee and the EPA, will be expanded, and sewer service lines will be finally run throughout the Lake Tansi community in the future.

So, what does this mean to you, the person buying a Lake Tansi lot? What is the correct, current info about Lake Tansi lots? Here is the current status, as of late 2015:

1. If you are buying a Lake Tansi lot or lots, and are going to build right now- -------

a. If you are in the current existing Lake Tansi sewer service area, (about 5 of the 35 sections of Lake Tansi), you would hook up to the sewer. Or

b. You will need to have a “perk” test done on your lot, and that perk test will determine how big a house you may build, and if you need to use a regular or an above ground “Wisconsin Mound” system.

2. If you plan to build in the future, in 5, 10, 15 years- The sewer service will by then, should be, extended to your lot, and you simply hook up to the existing sewer system.

Some final notes:

1. A perk test is only good for 6 months to build a house. You have to get a new perk test done when you later decide to finally build a house.

2. When the sewer line is installed in front of your lot, and you have sewer service, the perk test is then no longer needed, and worthless.

3. Please be aware, that incredibly, even today, 2015, there are still many, if not most of the local people, and even Realtors, that don’t know there is an existing $1.2M sewer plant installed, and now operating in Lake Tansi.

In closing, US Assets, Inc. wants to protect the investment of all of our customers that purchase lots from our company, now and in the future. So US Assets, Inc. offers our guarantee to you, the lot purchaser, that in the event you are prepared and ready to build a house on your lot, and the sewer service is not yet at your property, and your lot will not perk to build a house using either a regular or “Wisconsin Mound” septic system, we will let you select another lot of your choice from our existing lot inventory. And trade lots with you for just a cost of $100. This is our guarantee to you, our buyer.

US Assets, Inc. has sold several hundred lots at Lake Tansi since 2005, and we usually maintain an inventory of over 100 lots at all times to meet the needs of our past and future Lake Tansi lot buyers.

1. Yes, there is already a $1.2 million bio membrane sewer plant at Lake Tansi that was installed in 2012, and can currently provide service to up to 1,000 new homes now, and will be expanded throughout Lake Tansi in the future, and

2. 80%+ of all lots at Lake Tansi are most likely buildable now using a regular or “Wisconsin Mound” septic system, and

3. When the sewer lines are installed in front of any lot at Lake Tansi in the future, ALL LOTS ARE THEN BUILDABLE AT LAKE TANSI.

4. To all our buyers, if you can’t build a house on your lot when you decide to build with one of the septic systems available at that time, we will replace your lot with another buildable lot for a total cost of $100, as long as you own your lot purchased from US Assets, Inc.