KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Residents came out Thursday afternoon to the Tullahoma Utilities Authority’s (TUA) campus to enjoy free food and prizes to kick off Drinking Water Week. This year, Drinking Water Week takes place for the week of May 7 through 13.

For more than 40 years, the American Water Works Association has used Drinking Water Week as an opportunity to recognize the vital role water plays in everyday life for communities and water professionals. TUA observes Drinking Water Week by encouraging consumers to learn about how important it is to have clean, safe water and the role clean drinking water has in protecting both the public’s health and the environment, now and in the future.

To commemorate the week, TUA hosted its free community event Thursday, May 4, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. where there was free pizza, drinks and games like spin the wheel for prizes, face painting, ring toss, a bounce house and so on. According to TUA President Brian Skelton, residents were lining up for the event about an hour prior to the event starting.

TUA provides electric, water, wastewater, television, internet and phone service to the city of Tullahoma and parts of the surrounding community. Incorporated in 1948, the company today has just over 11,000 electric customers; 10,500 water customers; 8,000 wastewater customers and 4,500 LightTube customers.