Catoosa Utility District

What the utility reported

In 2025, Catoosa Utility District supplied 1,837.4 million gallons and reported 230.3 million gallons lost, or 12.5% of supply. That equals 631,053 gallons per day.

Physical leakage changed -52.3% since 2024, -36.1% since 2020 and -35.9% since 2016. Total losses changed -51.0% in the latest year. Changes in meters, methods or audit boundaries can affect reported trends.

Reported by the utility / calculated from the audit 2025 EPD compilation, worksheet “2025 Water Audits ”, row 42. Definitions.

What deserves a closer look

Reported improvement needs supporting records

Estimated physical leakage fell from 456.0 to 217.7 million gallons (-52.3%). That establishes a smaller reported estimate. Meter verification, leak logs and audit notes are needed to establish how much reflects actual leakage reduction.

The population entry is 7,800 with 22,668 connections, compared with 60,000 people in 2024. Population does not enter the loss-balance calculation. The Infrastructure Leakage Index is 0.83. Below 1 warrants review, but does not automatically prove an error.

Physical and apparent losses over time

Compare more than one measure

A physical service connection is not necessarily one home or one bill. Main length, pressure, density and input quality differ across systems.

Where its water came from

Net supply accounts for exports and source-meter adjustments. Raw own-source and import values may not sum directly to adjusted supply. These audits cannot trace a particular leaked gallon to a particular source.

Costs and infrastructure decisions

Physical leakage is typically valued at variable treatment, pumping and purchase costs. Apparent losses are usually valued at retail charges. The full valuation is not guaranteed savings. Project costs, fixed expenses and contract terms matter. Values are retained as filed; historical unit or basis changes limit comparison.

A loss-valuation/operating-expense ratio is withheld until the financial inputs and expense scope are reconciled. Dividing valuation by physical connections does not estimate an individual customer’s bill increase.

The default $1 is an illustration, not a utility cost estimate. Include incremental operating costs when assessing a real program. Fixed labor, debt and contracted purchase minimums may remain.

Data quality and system characteristics

An unusual input warrants explanation, not automatic correction. The leakage index compares real losses with a theoretical reference based on pipes, connections and pressure. Respect applicability flags and inspect the underlying workbook before using it. How to evaluate audit quality.

Who governs this water system?

Catoosa Utility District Authority Board of Commissioners

Commissioners are elected by utility consumer members for six-year terms. Published regular meetings: second and fourth Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m., utility office, 1058 Old Mill Road, Ringgold. This board is distinct from the county commission.

Official utility information · Governing body · Meetings and public documents

Links checked October 14, 2026. Consult current posted meeting notices. Geographic location does not establish county government control.

Records that would explain the figures

The annual compilation does not include all underlying meter results, audit notes, repair records, contracts or engineering studies.

1. Which repairs, operational changes or meter adjustments produced the 238.3-million-gallon decline?

   Records: Complete annual audit workbooks, Comments and Notes, meter verification, and the current water-loss control program.

2. What is the correct service-population figure, and how was it entered?

   Records: Input worksheets, pipe inventory, connection counts, and corresponding financial records.

3. What audit notes and source-meter tests support the below-one leakage index?

   Records: Monthly water balances, leak and repair logs, meter tests, targets, budgets and annual progress reports.

Records worth requesting Officials’ oversight checklist