The Mecklenburg Beekeepers Association hosted its annual honey-tasting contest in early October. Beekeepers from all over the county were invited to submit honey samples for judging based on taste. This year, 29 jars were submitted and tasted by more than 40 judges from the beekeeping community and the public.
Using a double-blind taste test and a 3-round elimination bracket, the best-tasting honey selected was a mixture including nectar sources from the McAlpine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the Irwin Creek WWTP. McAlpine Creek WWTP has approximately eight hives, and Irwin Creek WWTP has three hives, managed by Charlotte Water staff.
In addition to the Charlotte Water managed hives, Irwin Creek WWTP also has four hives managed by an external partner and the McDowell Creek WWTP has two hives.
The quality of the honey the hives produce at the wastewater treatment plants is a testament to everything these facilities stand for… clean water for a clean environment. Not only do the Charlotte Water treatment plants specifically create clean water, but their large footprints host a tremendous amount of plant and animal diversity. There seems to be something in bloom at treatment plants, and the bees know it.
The wide range of plants and closed-off nature of the treatment facilities create an oasis for urban wildlife, with all manner of birds, mammals, and insects left to thrive relatively close to the city.
As part of winning the best-tasting honey in Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte Water honey will be sent to a lab for pollen grain analysis to better understand the sources of nectar our bees love so much!
Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility construction site
It feels so good to witness a dream becoming a reality! Incredible progress has been made this year on our new wastewater treatment plant, the transformational Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility. Construction is already 25 percent complete!
We broke ground on this state-of-the-art facility in June thanks to a strong regional partnership with the Cities of Belmont and Mount Holly. More than 200 guests were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony, including our esteemed guest speakers Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles; Dr. Wenonah Haire, Executive Director, and DeLesslin “Roo” George-Warren, Tribal Consultant, from the of the Catawba Cultural Center and Catawba Nation; John Nicholson, Chief of Staff of the EPA Southeast Region; and Shadi Eskaf, Director of Water Infrastructure at NC Department of Environmental Quality; and Angela Charles, Director of Charlotte Water. Watch our commemorative video about the project’s history.
Stowe Groundbreaking Ceremony, pictured left to right: Shadi Eskaf, Mayor Vi Lyles, Angela Charles, John Nicholson.
Located along the Catawba River close to where it meets Long Creek, Stowe Facility is on track to be fully operational in 2026 and serve northwestern Mecklenburg County and eastern Gaston County. Initially, the Stowe Facility will have the capacity to process 15 million gallons of wastewater daily, which will eventually grow to 25 million gallons. This is significant considering Stowe’s service area population is expected to grow 136 percent between 2014 and 2034 from 75,226 to 177,166 residents.
One major benefit of the project is that it will replace two aging municipal water treatment plants in Belmont and Mount Holly with one new one, reducing the amount of discharge recycled back into the Catawba River. Stowe Facility also will be able to provide more economic and sustainable wastewater management services to our customers, while safeguarding the ability to treat and manage future wastewater flow projections. By using the latest technologies and cutting-edge treatment techniques to clean and purify wastewater, water recycled back into the natural environment will be near drinking water quality. The project likewise includes a preserved 90-acre parcel of land adjacent to the property to protect wildlife, which will feature walking trails for the community’s benefit.
Mount Holly Pump Station construction site
In 2023. we made significant progress on various construction projects associated with Stowe Facility, including the Stowe Influent Pump Station and Headworks and Long Creek Pump Station, Stowe Access Road and Bridge, Belmont Pump Station and Force Mains, Mount Holly Pump Station and laying wastewater pipelines. Additionally, we reached a historic milestone by introducing our inaugural Stowe Facility team members. Doug Shoutd will serve as the facility’s first Supervisor while Tara Romaine will be its first Chief Operator. Congratulations to you both! Get to know Stowe’s First Staff in this short interview video.
Stowe Facility made waves in the media as more people learned about the project and its merits. We received coverage in Municipal Sewer & Water Magazine, Queen City News, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Business Journal, and Engineering News-Record, among others. Our dedicated team spread the word in person too, traveling to present about the project at events like the Design-Build Institute of America Conference in the spring and the American Water Works Association NC One Water Conference in the fall. Closer to home, we were pleased to interact with more than 1,200 community members at local events this year such as the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation’s Catawba Riversweep and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services’ Creek Week. Also, we continued to partner with local schools via our STEAM initiative. One special highlight was attending Whitewater Middle School’s Career Fair in May to speak with students about pursuing careers in science and engineering. What a great way to engage with the next generation!
Whitewater Middle School Career Fair
We invite you to check out the Stowe 2023 Wrapped video and newsletter to learn more about Stowe Facility’s groundbreaking ceremony, construction highlights, new hires, press coverage, community events and plans for flowing smoothly into 2024: https://bit.ly/stowe2023wrapped. For more information about Stowe Facility, and to sign up for project updates, visit https://stoweregionalwrrf.com.
We can’t wait to experience the next set of milestones on this important project! Happy New Year!
She leaves after 38 years of service to the City and CLTWater.
Jackie Jarrell, 2013
Charlotte, N.C.– After over three decades of working for the City of Charlotte, Charlotte Water Deputy Director Jacqueline “Jackie” Jarrell, PE, is retiring after 38 years of service. Jackie, who has served in various positions since joining Charlotte Water in 1985, will retire on December 31.
“I want to thank my family, all who I have worked with at Charlotte Water, and the many mentors and friends in the water sector for the years of partnership and guidance that allowed me to learn, grow, and succeed through my career,” says Jackie regarding her time at CLTWater and as a water sector professional. “I have constantly been inspired by how Charlotte Water, as an organization, is always looking forward to how we can continue to provide the best services possible to our community and the region through innovation, partnerships, and dedication to protecting water and the environment. I am honored to have been a part of Charlotte Water and have the opportunity to give back to my community and the water sector as a whole.”
Originally from New Jersey, Jackie moved to Charlotte to attend UNC Charlotte, becoming the first in her family to go to college and earn a degree. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering – Urban and Environmental (Civil) program, Jackie joined Charlotte Water as an engineer (first female engineer) in the Engineering Division of Charlotte Water. While in Engineering, she worked in capital planning and completed hydraulic distribution modeling and sanitary sewer evaluations. She started the Backflow Prevention program for Charlotte Water. From there, Jackie went on to manage the System Protection Division, which included the Industrial Pretreatment Program, working with many local industries and with the Backflow Prevention program. She initiated the Industrial Excellence Awards, honoring industries in our community for excellent environmental compliance. Jackie then became a Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent and eventually Environmental Management Chief, managing and leading our six wastewater treatment facilities operations and the biosolids program, the largest land application program in the Southeast. From 2019-2020, she stepped into the Interim Deputy Director role before becoming a Deputy Director in 2020. She created history again when she became the first Latin American woman to serve in an executive position for Charlotte Water.
Throughout her career, Jackie has been a champion for sustainability, initiating several projects, pilots, and initiatives for Charlotte Water. She has collaborated and partnered with UNC Charlotte on research and supporting opportunities for student internships within the College of Civil and Environmental Engineering. During her time at CLTWater, Jackie became a local, state, national, and international leader in the public water sector, earning a series of accomplishments and serving in leadership roles at several organizations and professional groups.
Jackie Jarrell, 2021, Water Environment Federation, WEF Fellow
Jackie served as President of the Board of Trustees of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of 35,000 water professionals. She was named a WEF Fellow in 2021. She is currently serving as the chair of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory to the Board. Jackie served as chair of the N.C. Water Quality Association, of which she was one of the founding members. She was also active in and was Chair of NC OneWater (formerly NC AWWA-WEA). She currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the UNC Charlotte Civil and Environmental Engineering Department College Board of Advisors. Jackie also had the opportunity to travel to Bolivia with Water for People, an international non-profit organization that promotes accessibility to high-quality drinking water and sanitation.
“There is no way I can quantify the impact that Jackie has had not only for us at Charlotte Water but the commitment and dedication she has shown in the way she has assisted in the running of a water system that supports, sustains, and grows with our region,” says Charlotte Water Director Angela Charles. “While Jackie will be sorely missed by us all, we wish her a wonderful, peaceful, and restful retirement as she embarks on this new chapter of her life.”
Jackie Jarrell (Left) and Angela Charles (Right), 2023
This employee spotlight features Al Rich who just celebrated 45 years of working for Charlotte Water. As a Project Coordinator in the Engineering Division, his experience has allowed him to go on an incredible career journey. Learn more about Al Rich and his time with Charlotte Water in this Q&A.
Al Rich, 2023
Tell us about yourself. What drew you to Charlotte Water originally? And how has Charlotte Water changed since?
I was born in Hampton, VA, in 1953, and I was raised in Marietta, Georgia, where my parents moved to in 1954. My Dad worked for Lockheed, all his life as an aeronautical engineer. I attended Southern Technical Institute in Marietta, GA, and got a BCET degree in 1975. I started my career with the City of Charlotte in October of 1978 in the Design Division of the City Engineering department as a Drafting Tech III when we were at the Cameron Brown Building.
I was promoted to Civil Engineer 1 in 1986. I was a rotating E-1 and worked in the planning, contracts, public service, and design divisions. I was right-sized in 1993 and had a choice of working at the airport or at Charlotte Water. I chose Charlotte Water because I like design work that involves checking out project sites in various parts of the county versus just designing items for one particular site, and the Brookshire office is closer to home.
Charlotte Water has changed a lot since I first got here. We had a place called the vault where you had the as-builts. Walk right in and get a real paper or velum of the as built. Now, of course, it’s on a computer, and the vault room is a gym. Now, designs are done on AutoCAD instead of by hand, and instead of having a draftsperson, for the most part, the engineer drafts and designs the project. When I started, most of the paperwork was done on real paper. Now it’s on a computer.
Could you please share your current job title and the story of how you got to where you are today? What was the name of your first position when you started with Charlotte Water?
The name of my first position here was Civil Engineer 1. At some point, they changed the name to Project Coordinator. I have been in this position since I started here in 1993. I like designing the sewer and water along the street because each job is unique, with different challenges to getting the service to the customer.
What does your job entail?
I design water and sanitary sewer extensions along streets with the help of my draftsperson and team when an applicant pays a tap fee and water, or sewer is within 1000′ of the applicant’s property. I help obtain the necessary encroachments and permits for the project. I answer customer questions about the project. I review plans done by consultants for us. I help other members of Design and Construction with their projects.
Carl Wilson (left) and Al Rich (right), 2023
What do you love the most about your job?
What I love most about my job is that the sanitary sewer and water mains we design provide a valuable service to the community by providing water to drink and use in our various economic and recreational endeavors. We return the water to the river in excellent condition. I love riding my bike in Mint Hill and seeing all the sewer and water projects I helped design with my fellow teammates.
Outside of work, what are your favorite things to do?
Outside work, I enjoy riding my bike around Mint Hill and the greenway with a friend. I ride it to Church when the weather cooperates. I have a classic 1964 Corvair convertible, which is currently being completely restored. I grew up with this car when Dad bought it back in 1965. I have two other cars that I enjoy working on and keeping in good shape, and of course, they are American.
Al Rich, 2018
What’s your favorite memory working with Charlotte Water?
I will always enjoy how the Design and Construction teams work well together and all the good people I have met throughout Charlotte Water. When I do retire, I will miss the people here.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen on the job?
Observing the installation of the pipe I had designed, and seeing a jack and bore being installed.
What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just started their career with Charlotte Water?
Take advantage of the opportunities to further your education. If given the opportunity, check out the various divisions/sections of Charlotte Water and, decide which part you enjoy doing the most and go for it.
A conversation with Charlotte Water
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