The plant at 1617 Helton Road near Bean Station employs, or at least employed until this week, some 100 people, records show.
A search warrant also indicates that plant may have been illegally paying workers to avoid state and federal scrutiny.
The septic system failed in March, sending waste into the area and exposing nearby residents to potential contamination, according to TDEC.
"(TDEC) provided well sampling to the 12 households which had the potential to be impacted by surface flow of waste," TDEC spokesman Kim Schofinski said in a statement to 10News.
The state also is assisting impacted households so they can link to public water systems and install treatment, according to Schofinski.
On an emergency basis, Southeastern Provision is now hauling its sewage waste in 6,000-gallon loads in a tanker to a Greeneville site, according to records.
Document show a temporary pump and haul system permit was issued March 26 to plant owner James Brantley.
The temporary process will include disposal through manual pumping into a tanker, records show.
"The operation should be such that there is no discharge of wastewater to any surface or subsurface system, watercourse or drainage ditch because of an overflow, spills, and/or because of the occurrence of any other condition that singly or in combination with any of the aforementioned conditions causes such discharge to any surface or subsurface stream, watercourse or drainage ditch," the permit states.
A pumping log must be maintained for review by the state and someone who represents the plant must be present "at all times" when waste is being transferred to the tanker to ensure spills don’t occur.

BEAN STATION, Tenn. (WATE) – Families near a slaughterhouse in Bean Station are using bottled water after their well water was contaminated by coliform and E.coli.
Dean Taylor is one of the people in Bean Station who received bottled water from the state on March 2.
It says there had been a failure of the septic system at Southeastern Provision, a slaughterhouse, not far from Taylor’s home.
"Said that there been a catastrophic water contamination from the slaughterhouse up the road here," said Taylor.
As a result, water resource inspectors checked the septic system at Southeastern Provision.
The contaminated water had flowed downhill to Taylor’s home and others.
The state’s order to Southeastern Provision was swift: shut down its underground wastewater system.
"At this time they have shut off all flow to their subsurface system and are hauling all their waste offsite to a treatment facility," said Atchley.
Hipsher shut down his well.
The state has suggested to Dean Taylor since his well water is contaminated he should consider hooking up to city water.

BEAN STATION, Tenn. (WATE) – Families near a slaughterhouse in Bean Station are using bottled water after their well water was contaminated by coliform and E.coli.
Dean Taylor is one of the people in Bean Station who received bottled water from the state on March 2.
It says there had been a failure of the septic system at Southeastern Provision, a slaughterhouse, not far from Taylor’s home.
"Said that there been a catastrophic water contamination from the slaughterhouse up the road here," said Taylor.
As a result, water resource inspectors checked the septic system at Southeastern Provision.
The contaminated water had flowed downhill to Taylor’s home and others.
The state’s order to Southeastern Provision was swift: shut down its underground wastewater system.
"At this time they have shut off all flow to their subsurface system and are hauling all their waste offsite to a treatment facility," said Atchley.
Hipsher shut down his well.
The state has suggested to Dean Taylor since his well water is contaminated he should consider hooking up to city water.

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — According to their Twitter account, The City of Aiken has issued a boil advisory for areas near Mississippi Avenue and Hampton Avenue.
Officials say Monday night around 11:00 pm a fire hydrant was hit at Mississippi Avenue and Hampton Avenue.
They say the water from Mississippi Ave and Hampton Avenue from Vaucluse Road to Tennessee Avenue were affected.
Last night approx 11:00 pm, a fire hydrant at Mississippi Ave and Hampton Ave was hit.
The water in The Mississippi Ave and Hampton Ave from Vaucluse Rd to Tennessee Ave were affected.
There is a boil water advisory posted.
pic.twitter.com/hss7ybvg2T — City of Aiken, SC (@CityofAikenSC) March 13, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority says there is no contamination to Memphis’ drinking water An investigation by the TVA shows the public water supply is not affected by high levels of arsenic and other toxins found in monitoring wells at the Allen Fossil Plant’s ash storage sites.
However, results of the investigation also show a connection between the shallow aquifer where toxins were found and the deeper Memphis sand aquifer that provides the city’s drinking water.
“Pumping the production wells did produce a discernible drawdown in the upper Alluvial Aquifer, indicating a hydraulic connection with the Memphis Aquifer,” the United States Geological Survey and University of Memphis Connectivity Testing report said.
The TVA had planned to use the deeper wells to cool a new natural gas plant that will replace the coal plant later this year, but it has decided it will not use the cooling wells at this time.
Instead, the agency said it will be buying water from Memphis Lights, Gas and Water and “provide for a reliable water supply through the building of water holding tanks and redundant water feed systems.”

Environmental experts confirm toxins in groundwater near a Memphis natural gas plant are not getting into the drinking water.
Tennessee Valley Authority received results from yet another investigation into the groundwater near its new Allen Fossil Plant.
TVA submitted those results to Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The tests showed that the water with high levels of arsenic, lead, and fluoride are not contaminating the Memphis Aquifer.
Despite another test saying Memphis drinking water remains safe, TVA said it remains committed to not operating the wells around the contaminated water at this time.
Rather than using the wells, TVA is working on contingency plans to supply cooling water to the natural gas plant.
TVA expects to begin operations at the facility sometime this spring, as scheduled.
However, Southern Environmental Law Center said it still has concerns about the contaminated water: “TVA’s statement about the remedial investigation confirms our biggest fear–that there is a hydraulic connection between the arsenic-contaminated groundwater and the Memphis Sand Aquifer, the city’s drinking water source.
These threats to Memphis’s drinking water source could have been avoided if TVA had gone through the appropriate steps including conducting an in-depth environmental review, involving the public in the decision-making process and admitting its on-site contamination sooner.
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Autoplay:Play Video0:00 0:00: 0%: 0%LIVE -0:00 CENTERVILLE, Tenn. – Residents in Hickman County were forced to use bottled water due to a contamination caused by flooding and high water levels.
About two weeks ago, Hickman county’s water was contaminated, but the problem has only gotten worse.
Jacquelyn McPeek lives in an independent living facility, and said trying to do normal every day activities has been extremely difficult without water.
"You cant wash your hands, you have to get a bottle of water to wash your hands you can’t use the facilities without water to get rid of your waste.
You can’t take any showers," said McPeek.
Anyone in need of water, can get some from crews who will continue handing out water until the problem is fixed.
"We’re looking forward to try to get this under control soon as we possibly can," said Hudgins.
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CENTERVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Residents in Centerville are again without water as the city experiences issues with its supply.
Hickman County EMA issued an update Thursday saying the maintenance department is working to fix the issue.
Some residents remain without water while others are being asked to conserve water, including holding off on laundry, flushing the toilet only when necessary and no car washing.
As a result, Jacobs says the town cannot pump water to customers that don’t meet standards.
No contaminated water of any kind is allowed to be delivered to customer’s faucets.
Jacobs says according to the National Weather Service, the city has seen the most rainfall in the month of February since 1890, 120 years.
A boil water notice was sent to residents with the following instructions: Prior to boiling, the water should be strained through a clean cloth to remove any sediment or floating material.
The water should then be heated to a vigorous boil, and the rolling boil should be maintained for one minute to insure disinfection.
Meanwhile, heavy rain is falling in the area and making some roads impassable.
Make sure to check the latest list of road closures before heading out the door.

The utility group said the boil advisory will continue until further notice, and it is still working to get water restored to remaining customers outside the city limits in the Elk Valley community.
Once water is fully restored to all customers, it said it will flush the lines to get rid of any sediment and it will lift the boil advisory after.
UPDATE (February 18 at 7:45 p.m.) Joe Carroll with the Jellico Electric and Water System says water has been restored to about 1,200 of the 1,700 customers in the city of Jellico Sunday evening.
The one last tank at the Jellico Electric and Water System is still being filled and will be the last to provide water to the rest of its service area.
Employees with Jellico Electric and Water System have been working around the clock to help restore water to all customers.
Carroll says crews from the electric companies and other utilities assisted the employees, working more than 18, with breaks.
Water should be restored to residents in the next two to three hours as the three other tanks get filled with water.
General Manager of Jellico Electric and Water System Joe Carroll expects the boil advisory to be lifted on Monday morning.
The Jellico Electric and Water System says customers are currently without drinkable water and a boil advisory is in place.
Muncy said the county is hopeful to have the water system itself working in the next six hours.

Water should be restored to residents in the next two to three hours as the three other tanks get filled with water.
General Manager of Jellico Electric and Water System Joe Carroll expects the boil advisory to be lifted on Monday morning.
With the boil advisory in place, customers are advised to bring their water to a boil, then let it cool for at least one minute before drinking.
General Manager Joe Carroll says it’s a slow process but the situation is progressing.
All of the water currently meets state regulations.
The Jellico Electric and Water System says customers are currently without drinkable water and a boil advisory is in place.
Jellico Electric and Water System then issued a boil advisory to customers through TV and radio outlets.
"I’d like to apologize to our customers," Carroll said.
The boil advisory will still be in effect, with hopes of being lifted Monday.
Muncy said the county is hopeful to have the water system itself working in the next six hours.