Terris Tatum started serving on the Madison Water and Wastewater (now Madison Utilities) Board of Directors in 1991. (RECORD PHOTO/ALAN BROWN)

MADISON – Terris Tatum has a new ‘waterway’ named in his honor.

The “Terris Tatum Tennessee River Intake Facility” resolution was approved Oct. 5. Madison Utilities Board of Directors approved the resolution recognizing Tatum’s service tenure by naming the new intake facility to the Tennessee River in his honor.

For about 10 years, Tatum led the effort to secure a permit and all necessary approvals for construction of the water intake on the Tennessee River near Triana. The intake will allow the board to reduce its reliance on water from wells and provide a plentiful and reliable source of water to meet all conceivable needs of its customers, the resolution stated.

Tatum was appointed to the Madison Water and Wastewater Board in 1991. He has served as board chairman since 1998, longer than any chairperson in history.

During Tatum’s tenure, the board successfully completed more than $50 million in infrastructure improvements.

Madison County Commissioner Steve Haraway said Tatum “has provided outstanding leadership during his term as a board member and chairman of Madison Utilities. His unwavering character has been the same since the first day I met him.”

“He doesn’t get caught up in the political climate. He stays focused on what is best for the ratepayers of Madison Utilities,” Haraway said. “During the difficult times of 2010 when the economy took a drastic downturn, he guided our board through this.”

Haraway believes that the utility “came out stronger because of changes that Terris Tatum and former general manager Ricky Pounders put in place.”

“Naming the new river intake in his honor is such a small token of our appreciation for the time and effort he spends making sure MU provides our ratepayer with the best possible return,” Haraway said.

“Madison Utilities has constructed miles of water and sewer lines, hydraulically looped its water system, greatly improved its water storage capacity, added fluoridation, automated meter reading, negotiated contingency water purchase agreements and dramatically reduced inflow and infiltration issues,” board member John Allen said.