Category Archives: Construction

Construction, Infrastructure Improvements

Easement 101

There is a manhole in my backyard. What does Charlotte Water (CLTWater) do to maintain pipes in my yard?

CLTWater maintains a large network of sanitary sewer or wastewater pipes. These are different from the storm drains along gutters. The wastewater pipes flow our communities’ wastewater from your homes and businesses to a wastewater treatment plant.

An easement agreement is a legal document that gives CLTWater the right to access, maintain, clear, repair, inspect, improve, renovate, and replace facilities (including pipes and manholes) on private property. 

Permanent Easements and Your Property

Below is an illustration of wastewater pipes under the streets and then through woods to collect wastewater and flow downstream to a wastewater treatment plant.

the illustration shows a green line under the streets and connecting to circles noting the manholes and then a larger area of 30 feet to note the easement area required to maintain the pipes and manholes.
What is an Easement?Permanent and temporary construction easements are needed to build and maintain water and sewer pipes. An easement agreement is a legal document that gives CLTWater the right to access, maintain, clear, repair, inspect, improve, renovate and replace facilities on a property. City representatives work with property owners to finalize the terms of the agreement, and compensation is determined through an appraisal.

The easement agreement is signed by both the City and the property owner and is recorded at the Mecklenburg Register of Deeds office.  The agreement is accessible online on the Register of Deeds website. 

NOTE: When purchasing a property, easements are not typically reported as part of a title search for the purchase of title insurance.  The best way to determine if there are any easements is to survey the property.​
What can a property owner do with their land within an easement?Though the property owner still has ownership of the land, there are restrictions to what they can do within an easement.  Any restricted items that are found within an easement during clearing activities will not be replaced at Charlotte Water’s expense.

1. Nothing permanent may be stored or built on top of the easement.  This includes but is not limited to slabs, walls, fill, permanent sheds, pools, gazebos and medium-large size trees.

2. Fences are allowed across an easement if a 12-foot access gate is provided.  Gates shall be dual-locked to allow access by the property owner and the City.

3. Charlotte Water has a ‘Landscaping/Planting Guidelines’ document that can help a property owner decide what to plant within an easement.  Certain plants and trees are restricted, as follows:
+ No trees are allowed within a permanent easement.
+ Plants with an invasive root system are not allowed.
+ Gardens, crops, shrubbery and ornamental trees with shallow roots are acceptable within an easement but not directly over the pipe.

4. Installing a concrete/asphalt driveway partially over the easement is possible but with the following restrictions:
+ The property owner will be responsible for any damage caused to the pipe. Care should be taken in compacting the excavated area to avoid damage to the pipe.
+ The property owner will call 811 have utilities located before digging inside easement.
+ A driveway must be shallow (not to exceed 1 foot and shouldn’t cover any existing access points or manholes).

​​5. Irrigation systems are not permitted within water and sewer easements.  Charlotte Water is not responsible for the repair of any irrigation systems installed within a permanent easement.​
What happens to an easement during construction?Easements are cleared of trees, shrubs, structures, and debris in preparation for construction activities. Existing fences located in the easements are removed and temporary fences are installed during construction. ​​
What happens in an easement after a construction project?Typically, crews will re-grade, fertilize and seed easements after construction. Once restored, property owners can make plans to replace landscaping. Charlotte Water is not responsible for replacing custom landscaping within an easement.  Charlotte Water will also repair and replace pavement that was damaged during construction.​​​
Who can I contact if I have an easement question?Prior to any digging or construction, Call 811 to locate any underground utilities (NC 811, Call Before You Dig) or 800.632.4949.
For water and sewer questions within Mecklenburg County, please call the Charlotte Water Assets Hotline at 704.336.1265 or email cltwassets@charlottenc.gov. Please include the address or parcel ID of the property. For storm water or drainage easements, please call 311 for assistance. 
To identify water or sewer easements on your property, email cltwasbuilts@charlottenc.gov with a location (address/parcel ID), details of the request and your contact information.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Easement information is available on the Storm Water Easement webpage.​
How does CLTWater clear the easement?Tree roots can penetrate wastewater pipes, blocking the flow of wastewater, and eventually causing an overflow.
CLTWater periodically clears permanent easements of trees and debris to prevent overflows.
Debris will be turned into mulch or transported off-site.
When possible, trees on the edge of permanent easements are preserved.
Property owners may see activity for several days until crews are able to access easements from another location.
What is a Road right-of-way?A Road right-of-way is a portion of property near the road that is owned by the property owner and available for the city to use for street maintenance or utilities work.
How can I find out what is under my property?Before you start digging along your property borders — or ANYWHERE NEAR public utilities located on or around your property — pick up the phone and dial N.C. One Call number at 1-800-632-4949.
Who do I contact if I have an easement question?You can contact a Charlotte Water representative at cltwassets@charlottenc.gov.

Transcript for Permanent Easements and Your Property Video

There may be more under your property than you know.

If you own a property or are considering buying, the best way to find utility easements is to have the property surveyed. You can also call 311 or 704 336 7600 and ask to speak to Charlotte Water staff about your property. You may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement to receive information. If your property has an easement, then there are restrictions you need to follow. Permanent structures, irrigation systems, trees and other things that may damage or restrict access to the pipe are not permitted within easements, any restricted items found in the easement will not be replaced or repaired by Charlotte Water. If you have a question about an existing easement, please call or email Charlotte Water first. You can expect to see Charlotte Water crews clearing the easement occasionally. Crews may access your property to repair the pipe and eventually replace the pipe. When possible, Charlotte Water will provide advance notice of activities on your property. Charlotte Water staff is dedicated to providing safe drinking water and wastewater services to our community. To learn more please visit CharlotteWater.org.

landscapingguidelinesDownload
Construction, Repairs and Spills

How Charlotte Water Repairs Water Pipe Leaks

With more than 4,500 miles of drinking water pipe, there is always something to fix. Customers can help by calling 311 or 704-336-7600 when they see or suspect a water leak or water main break. Even after the 311 Call Center is closed customers can say or select ‘water emergency’ to reach our dispatchers 24/7.

Charlotte Water prioritizes leaks so that crews repair emergency leaks first.

The Numbers
• 2,000+ repairs per year. Most are service line repairs (between the water main and meter box).
• There are multiple pipes under major roads (serving immediate areas and zip codes).
• Less than 10% of water pipe infrastructure is over 50 years due to proactive pipe replacement efforts.

Water Pipe Repair Step-By-Step

CLTWater Field Technician installing a flag to mark the leak location.

Investigate

Within hours, a field technician investigates and attempts to repair if it is an easy fix. If it is a leak that requires a construction crew, the technician prioritizes the leak based on severity. Many repairs require coordination with other departments or towns to minimize the impact on customers or drivers.

Staff spray painting where underground utilities are located before digging begins.

Locate

Call NC811 to have other utilities spray paint where their pipes / cables are before digging begins. This can take hours.







Staff turning water off to the leaking water pipe to maintain water to other portions of the neighborhood.

Isolate

Crews turn valves to stop water flowing through the leaking pipe. Crews may attempt to repair the pipe while keeping water in service for customers. Cones and barriers are set up to protect workers.

Excavate

Crews will uncover the pipe to make repairs or replace a section of the pipe. Crews will hand-dig portions to reduce the chance of damaging underground infrastructure.

Restore Water Service

Fire hydrants flow to test water quality before restoring water service to customers.









picture of a crew tamping soil before a compaction test during the phase to rebuild a road after a water leak underground.

Repave and Reopen

Crews will backfill soil into the trench, test compaction, and then repave the road.

Restoration

Straw is placed over dirt if the repair is in a yard. A separate crew or contractor will return several days or weeks later to complete restoration efforts.


What other factors may extend the time between reporting a water leak and the repair?

Crews attempt to repair leaks without a water outage when possible and if there is time will work on solutions to minimize the outage.

Challenges underground

  • Other utilities (fiber, storm water pipes) conflict with the repair and need to be replaced or moved including a large excavation area.
  • Pipe requires full replacement including cutting it out and inserting a new pipe.
  • Repaving depends on the weather. Air temperature is required to be a minimum of 40 degrees and rising in order to properly install asphalt.


Reducing impact on customers

  • Coordinating with Charlotte Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation, and/or towns to plan the repair to minimize detours during high traffic times.
  • Installing new valves to minimize the number of customers affected by a water outage.
  • Above ground water pipes may be installed to serve customers if the pipe replacement will take several days to complete.

What caused the water main break / leak?

Unfortunately, since water main breaks occur underground, in most cases we can only speculate as to how exactly the pipe broke. Here are some factors:

  • Construction crews hitting mains while digging for other projects.
  •  Call 811 before you dig to locate the pipes
  • Temperature changes that can cause the soil to expand and contract, putting stress on pipes.
  • Sudden change in water pressure. Quick use of a hydrant to fight a fire or a water main break nearby can cause other pipes to leak.
  • Weak seals or a weakness where two pipes are joined together.
  • Soil conditions (movement, corrosion, extra soil on top pushing down on pipes)

What causes a water main to break?

There are several factors that can cause a pipe to break, including change in temperature, age and external damage.

Who should I call if I see a leak?

If you see or suspect a leak, call 3-1-1 or 704-336-7600 so that Charlotte Water can quickly dispatch a crew to the location. Our dispatchers are working 24/7 so even after CharMeck 311 is closed you can say or select water emergency after the audio greeting to reach our staff.

Learn more at

“Every day, Charlotte Water routinely repairs and maintains water and sewer pipes across our entire service area,” says Charlotte Water Director Angela Charles. “It’s important that we are doing all that we can to keep customers’ trust in our ability to provide clean, safe and reliable water service to the Charlotte region.”

To stay up to date on the most recent events and announcements, follow Charlotte Water on Twitter @CLTWater. For more information on other pipe replacement and restoration projects, visit us at CharlotteWater.org.

Construction, Repairs and Spills

Central Avenue Repair Update

Last month on February 7, Crews responded to a wastewater overflow and found a leaking water pipe under the railroad crossing on Central Avenue. Below is an overview of key steps required to complete the work and reopen the road.

Completed steps

•            Stopped a wastewater overflow and found a leaking water main that contributed to the overflow and was not showing above ground.

•            Installed a water valve to maintain service to customers.

•            Turned off leaking portion of the water pipe.

•            Inspected drinking water, wastewater pipes and storm drains to identify all necessary repairs.

•            Installed another valve for pipe installation process.

•            Installed new water pipes to maintain service long-term.

•            Disconnect the leaking pipe from the water system.

•            Excavate and replace an old brick manhole with a new precast concrete manhole.

Ongoing Steps

•            Add a new lining in wastewater pipes under railroad easement at a future date.

•            Excavate and repair storm drain pipes under railroad crossing. Additional work required at a later date.

•            Rebuild and reopen the road.

All of this while maintaining railroad for daily use by CSX. These repairs require extensive coordination with CSX and Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT). The goal is to maintain water service and access to businesses during the repair effort. Local traffic can drive around signs to access open businesses. Crews estimate completing the work around March 17th.

Construction, Repairs and Spills

How Does CLTWater Respond To A Wastewater Overflow?

There is a wastewater spill. What should I do?

Call 311 or 704-336-7600 and say or select ‘wastewater emergency’ to speak to a CLTWater dispatcher. We will respond 24 hours a day.

Photo showing a wastewater manhole in Freedom Park
Wastewater manholes are throughout our neighborhoods. If you see water overflowing, call 311 or 704-336-7600 and select wastewater emergency.

How can I help reduce overflows? 

  • Toss in the trash: paper towels, wipes, hair, cotton swabs, feminine products, dental floss, coffee grounds, and excess food. 
  • Toss in the toilet: only toilet paper. 
  • Drain in the sink: soap suds, small amounts of food from the plate, and liquids. 
  • Always call 811 before you dig.

Take to a full-service recycling center: used and expired oils and grease. 

What causes wastewater overflows?

  • Clogs of wipes, paper towels, leftover kitchen grease, oils, or anything other than toilet paper.
  • Pipe failure (tree falls and breaks pipe, stream/creek erosion causing the pipe to fall into the creek)
  • Tree roots attacking and clogging the pipe
  • Damage by nearby construction. 

How does CLTWater respond?

A rapid response crew will investigate the area and attempt to remove the clog. This work does not impact drinking water quality. Residents and their pets were encouraged to avoid contact with the creek during an overflow response.

How does CLTWater respond to a large overflow?

For example – a tree falls into the creek washing out the creek bank and undermining the wastewater pipe just behind the creek bank. Crews frequently inspect these areas, but erosion can occur quickly during heavy rain events. Crews will:

  • Create a temporary access road or path if necessary to respond.
  • Install a temporary wastewater pipe to bypass the broken pipe and stop the overflow. The pumps and temporary above-ground pipes are checked several times daily to prevent possible wastewater overflows.
  • Stabilize the creek bank.
  • Construct a barrier / temporary stream bank to protect workers.
  • Remove the broken pipe. 
  • Install the new pipe and test it.
  • Rebuild the stream bank with clean fill material (soil). 
  • Remove temporary pipes and pumps.
  • Remove large spoil piles of dirt.
  • Complete grading/drainage.
  • Plant trees/shrubs and seed/straw the area.
  • Restore the stream bank and revegetate.
  • If the greenway was closed during work, it would be restored and reopened. When greenways are affected, CLTWater works with Mecklenburg County on restoration.

How does CLTWater handle tropical storms or heavy rains and prevent spills?

The underground sanitary sewer pipe network is not designed to handle rain, yet the runoff and flooding from large rains inevitably infiltrate the wastewater pipe network. Overflow basins at the five largest wastewater treatment plants capture and later treat more than 160 million gallons of rainwater mixed with wastewater. These equalization basins (EQ basins) help prevent wastewater from overflowing out of manholes in our community.

CLTWater has also added several large wastewater pipes to help reduce the impact of heavy rains. Crews work to prevent rainwater from getting into the sanitary sewer system and are out investigating our system soon after a storm ends.

picture showing excavator beside a creek bank.
Crews create a temporary creek bank to stop the spill. Crews then install pumps to redirect the community’s wastewater around the broken pipe. Crews then add new pipe and rebuild the creek bank.