Duck River Utility Commission

What Duck River Utility Commission does

Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) is a regional water authority operating water treatment facilities on Normandy Reservoir in Tennessee. The commission produces drinking water using granular activated carbon contactor media filtration and supplies treated water that meets or exceeds both State of Tennessee and United States Environmental Protection Agency standards. DRUC has been formally recognized for process engineering and operational excellence by the EPA and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

DRUC serves two direct municipal customers — the cities of Manchester and Tullahoma, Tennessee — and operates wholesale water supply contracts with eight additional customer utilities, municipalities, and county governments. Beyond its primary contracted service area, the commission extends free or low-cost water testing and technical assistance to well owners and small utilities, and conducts community outreach through facility tours, school and civic group speaking programs, and participation in AWWA's Small System Assistance and Water for People initiatives. The commission is led by General Manager Randal Braker, P.E., who has served since 1988 and was named to the 2020 class of NSPE Fellows.

DRUC operates on a cost-recovery basis with a stated mission to provide water at the lowest practical cost to ratepayers. Revenue is generated through recurring municipal and wholesale water supply agreements. Capital improvements are executed through formal public bid solicitations, with active procurement in 2025 covering carbon contactor media, electric valve actuators, vehicle purchases, and significant facility construction including Raw Water Intake Improvements and Water Treatment Plant Improvements. DRUC is not a venture-backed or institutionally owned entity and has no parent company; it functions as an independent government utility commission within the Duck River watershed.

Name

Duck River Utility Commission

Legal name

Duck River Utility Commission

Website

https://druc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Duck River Utility Commission is a regional water authority operating treatment facilities on Normandy Reservoir in Tennessee, supplying drinking water to the cities of Manchester and Tullahoma and wholesale contracts to eight additional customer utilities, municipalities, and county governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Municipal water supply
• Water treatment services
• Drinking water production
• Wholesale water contracts
• Water quality testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tullahoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Services: DRUC generates revenue through water supply services to municipalities and wholesale contracts to customer utilities, municipalities, and county governments. The utility operates on a cost-recovery basis with mission to provide water at lowest practical cost.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Duck River Utility Commission is a regional water authority that operates water filtration facilities on Normandy Reservoir, treating raw water with granular activated carbon contactor media to produce drinking water that meets or exceeds State of Tennessee and USEPA standards. The commission supplies treated drinking water directly to the municipalities of Manchester and Tullahoma, Tennessee, and through wholesale contracts to eight customer utilities, municipalities, and county governments.

Product overview

Duck River Utility Commission operates as a regional water authority providing water treatment and supply services. The core offering is water filtration and treatment from Normandy Reservoir, with ancillary services including water testing for external customers, facility tours, and bid solicitation for equipment and construction projects. All water production meets or exceeds EPA and Tennessee state standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Water quality meets or exceeds all USEPA regulations

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Water Works Association (AWWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRUC actively participates in AWWA's Small System Assistance and Water for People programs, helping ensure that ALL people have safe water to drink
• CTI EngineersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCTI Engineers hosts bid information for DRUC's construction projects including Raw Water Intake Improvements and Water Treatment Plant Improvements

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Tennessee American Water: Investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving customers across Tennessee. Directly comparable to DRUC as a Tennessee-based regulated water utility providing treatment and distribution to municipal and residential customers.

Regional players

• Nashville Metro Water Services: Public water and wastewater utility serving Nashville and surrounding Davidson County. Comparable to DRUC as a Tennessee municipal water authority operating treatment and distribution infrastructure under government ownership.
• Hallsdale-Powell Utility District: Public water and wastewater utility serving the Halls and Powell areas of Knox County, Tennessee. Comparable to DRUC in scale and mission as a Tennessee public utility district providing treated drinking water to communities and small wholesale customers.
• First Utility District of Knox County: Public water and wastewater utility serving parts of Knox and surrounding counties in East Tennessee. Comparable to DRUC as a small Tennessee water utility district operating treatment and distribution on a cost-recovery basis.
• Memphis Light, Gas and Water: Municipal utility providing water, gas, and electric service to the city of Memphis and Shelby County. Comparable to DRUC as a large Tennessee municipal water utility operating under public governance with comparable regulatory and operational profile.
• Knoxville Utilities Board: Multi-utility public provider of water, wastewater, gas, and electric service in Knox County, Tennessee. Comparable to DRUC as a Tennessee public utility commission operating regulated water treatment and distribution.
• West Tennessee Utility District: Public water utility serving Madison County and parts of West Tennessee. Comparable to DRUC as a Tennessee public water utility district operating under similar regulatory and cost-recovery frameworks within the state.

Broad incumbents

• Aqua America (Essential Utilities): One of the largest U.S.-based water and wastewater utilities serving customers across multiple states. Comparable to DRUC as a regulated water utility providing drinking water treatment and distribution, though at national scale and as an investor-owned entity rather than a public commission.

Others

• American Water Works Association (AWWA): International non-profit trade association for the water sector that has formally recognized DRUC for operational excellence. Comparable as an ecosystem participant setting standards, training, and recognition programs relevant to DRUC's mission and credentials.
• Mueller Water Products: Manufacturer of water infrastructure products including valves, hydrants, and pipe fittings used by municipal water utilities. Comparable as an infrastructure supplier relevant to DRUC's bid solicitations for electric valve actuators and treatment plant upgrades.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/duck-river-utility-commission

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Duck River Utility Commission