Johnson City

Johnson City’s Sinking Creek Sewer Station Upgrade Slips to December 2026 After a Post-Helene Transformer Delay

Johnson City’s Oct. 15 commission packet carried a $206,000 amendment for engineering oversight at the Sinking Creek sewer pump station, whose final completion moved to December 2026 after a transformer delay tied to Hurricane Helene. The packet also updates stormwater, water line and sewer projects

Tracy King

21 Oct 2026 • 5 min read

Johnson City’s Sinking Creek sewer pump station upgrade is in its final stage. Illustrative photo.

Johnson City’s biggest sewer pump station overhaul is in its final stretch, but it is finishing later than planned. The city’s Oct. 15 commission packet carried a $206,000 amendment to keep engineers on the Sinking Creek Pump Station Project through a revised final completion date of December 2026.

The delay traces back to Hurricane Helene. The staff summary says the completion date slipped because of supply chain problems getting a new electrical transformer for the station after the September 2024 storm, and that the late delivery affected the critical path for the whole schedule.

Amendment #4 with Hazen & Sawyer brings the total engineering agreement to $1,955,180. It was listed on the commission’s consent agenda.

Why this station matters

The Sinking Creek Wastewater Pump Station serves a big slice of south Johnson City. According to the staff summary, more than 50 miles of gravity sewer in six sub-basins drain to it, including the Cherokee Road corridor and the S. Roan Street corridor south of University Parkway, with residential subdivisions and commercial properties along Lafe Cox Drive, Rolling Hills Drive and Buffalo Road.

The station averages 2 million gallons a day and peaks near 7 million gallons a day in wet weather. It was designed in 1988 and went into service in the early 1990s. The staff summary says it cannot currently pump all the flow coming in from its 24-inch gravity line during extreme wet weather.

The city is also chipping away at the problem from the other end. The staff summary says crews continue phased rehabilitation of the collection system upstream of the station to remove inflow and infiltration, the rainwater and groundwater that leak into sewer pipes and swell flows during storms.

What the upgrade includes

Replacement of the three existing pumps and drives, plus a fourth pump and drive.
A new influent screen and building.
A new standby generator.
New electrical and site improvements to address capacity, including during heavy rain.

The city says the work is meant to extend the station’s useful life by another 25 years.

The money

Item	Date	Amount
Original engineering agreement (Hazen & Sawyer)	Sept. 16, 2021	$692,000
Construction contract (Morgan Contracting)	Awarded April 20, 2023	$9,274,250
EDA grant (U.S. Department of Commerce)	April 2021	$2 million
Amendment #4 (engineering)	Oct. 15, 2026 agenda	$206,000
Total engineering agreement after Amendment #4	—	$1,955,180

Source: City of Johnson City, City Commission agenda packet, Oct. 15, 2026, item 6.1.4.

The construction contract had a notice to proceed on Aug. 28, 2023. The city has submitted reimbursements for more than $1.8 million of the $2 million federal grant, with the last payment due once construction is complete. The grant was obtained with help from the First Tennessee Development District and the Northeast TN Regional Economic Partnership for the planned expansion of Revance, upstream of the station.

Two dates in the same packet

The packet gives two timing markers. The staff summary for Amendment #4 cites a revised final completion date of December 2026. The monthly construction report in the same packet says the new station remains in a 30-day trial phase, with close-out for commission approval planned for fall 2026. The amendment also explains that the city will not take over operation until the upgraded station runs without problems for 30 consecutive days, and that the full 30-day startup has not yet happened.

Other projects in the October construction report

The same packet included the city’s monthly construction report. Highlights:

Cherokee Pond Stormwater Basin: city crews have begun topsoiling and planting, and the contractor has finished hardscaping.
W. Mountainview Road: road widening continues.
First Frontier Trail: the section from Sunny Slopes Drive to Green Pond Road is installed, with final cleanup underway.
Green Pond Road waterline: city crews installed about 8,000 feet of new 12-inch water line, and the project is paused while easements and permits for railroad crossings are worked out.
Sells Farm lift station phase-out: about 2,300 feet of gravity sewer will let the city retire the Sells Farm lift station off Claude Simmons Road.
Sewer lining near Science Hill: a rehabilitation project from Sunset Drive to Science Hill High calls for about 9,000 feet of cured-in-place lining and roughly 580 feet of open-cut replacement.
Washington County water line extensions: the 2025 extensions brought water service to Payne Lane, Bob Job Road, Cox Road and Buckingham Road, and final payment was on the Oct. 15 consent agenda.
Galvanized water lines: more than 9,500 feet of old galvanized lines in the Oak Grove Road and Brandonwood Drive area were replaced.

Also on the Oct. 15 agenda

The consent agenda included a FY2025 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA for structural collapse courses. The total award is $150,000, with a federal share of $136,363.64 and a city share of $13,636.36, or 10%. The first reading of the Optimist Park lot sale for a Culver’s was also on the agenda, covered in Johnson City Takes Up $1.1 Million Optimist Park Lot Sale for a Culver’s on Thursday.

Johnson City dates to watch

Oct. 15, 2026 — City Commission agenda with Sinking Creek Amendment #4.
Fall 2026 — Sinking Creek close-out for commission approval planned, per the construction report.
December 2026 — Revised final completion date for the Sinking Creek project, per the staff summary.

What it means for Johnson City homeowners

Sewer capacity shapes growth. Pump stations that cannot keep up in heavy rain limit how many new homes an area can take. A finished upgrade can open room for building in the drainage area.
Construction zones end. If you own near Sinking Creek Road, W. Mountainview Road or Green Pond Road, buyers will ask when the work wraps up. Keep the city’s dates handy.
Old pipes are a disclosure topic. If your street just got new water lines, say so when you list. Buyers like knowing the galvanized pipe in the street is gone.

For more Tri-Cities infrastructure news, see Washington County Lines Up $2.2 Million for Johnson City Water Lines and $500,000 for Baskette and Frank Stanton Roads.

Thinking about selling in Johnson City or anywhere in the Tri-Cities? Get a free home valuation to see what your home is worth now, or request a cash offer if you want a firm number on your timeline.

Why is the Sinking Creek pump station project late?

The city says final completion slipped because of supply chain delays getting a new electrical transformer after Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which affected the critical path of the schedule.

When will the Sinking Creek project be finished?

The Amendment #4 staff summary gives a revised final completion date of December 2026. The October construction report says close-out for commission approval is planned for fall 2026.

How much does Amendment #4 cost?

$206,000, raising the total Hazen & Sawyer engineering agreement to $1,955,180. The construction contract with Morgan Contracting was awarded for $9,274,250.

What areas drain to the Sinking Creek station?

More than 50 miles of gravity sewer in six sub-basins, including the Cherokee Road corridor and the S. Roan Street corridor south of University Parkway.

What does the upgrade include?

Three replacement pumps and drives plus a fourth, a new influent screen and building, a new standby generator, and new electrical and site improvements, meant to extend the station’s life another 25 years.