Category Archives: News

Construction, General, Infrastructure Improvements, News, Projects, 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.

News

Award-Winning Utility: Utility of the Future Today

We’re honored to be recognized by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) as a Utility of the Future Today! This is Charlotte Water’s fifth time receiving this recognition, and we are one of 34 utilities being recognized in 2022. This program recognizes utilities that exhibit sustainability and resilience in the communities they serve.

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, October 11, Charlotte Water Director Angela Charles received the award during the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) ceremony. 

“Charlotte Water’s organizational culture is one of sustainability both now and for the future, embracing innovation, inspiration, and leadership in our community,” said Charles. “We will continue to follow our Charlotte Water Vision: To be a leading water utility recognized for excellence and dedicated to our people, community, region, and environment.”

The Utility of the Future Today Recognition Program seeks to reach deeply into the water sector to form and motivate a community of like-minded water utilities engaged in advancing resource efficiency and recovery, developing proactive relationships with stakeholders, and establishing resilient, sustainable, and livable communities. The Recognition Program, through the aggregation and sharing of utility advancements and experiences, will enable participants across a broad continuum of capacities and capabilities to learn from each other and continually grow and sustain their efforts to be, and continually advance the concept of, the Utility of the Future. (www.wef.org)

We are so proud of the great work our utility has accomplished this year, and we will continue our hard work to be an award-winning utility in 2023.

For more information about our awards, please visit the awards page on our website, and to learn more about WEF and the Utility of the Future Today award, visit their website here.

News

Angela Charles Selected as 2022 WEF Fellow

Image of Angela Charles, Charlotte Water Director

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has selected Angela Charles as a member of the class of 2022 WEF Fellows. Angela is one of 14 distinguished members in the 2022 class.

This prestigious designation honors members’ contributions to the water sector as well as their professional achievements and stature. WEF Fellows are recognized in various areas of expertise including design, education, operations, regulation, research, utility management, and leadership.

The WEF Fellows were honored at WEFTEC 2022 during the WEF Awards and Presidential Celebration Ceremony on Tuesday, October 11.

Angela Charles is the Director of Charlotte Water, and has been in the water industry since 1988. 

“Angela is a valuable leader in Charlotte Water. She has been instrumental in affecting change and improving processes for nearly 1 million customers throughout Charlotte and Mecklenburg County,” said City Manager Marcus D. Jones.   

As director, Angela is responsible for the regional, countywide water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment and collection, utilities planning, and the City’s stormwater system, along with management activities. She leads a staff of approximately 1,200 employees, and Charlotte Water maintains more than 9,000 miles of pipelines and over 300,000 water connections countywide. 

Angela holds a Master of Public Administration degree from UNC Charlotte and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University. She was the 2017 chair of the North Carolina American Water Works Association and North Carolina Water Environment Association (NC AWWA-WEA) and is a Grade A water distribution operator. Angela has served on many committees including the WEF Collection Systems Committee and has received many water industry awards, including the WEF Collections Systems Award, the Warren G. Fuller Award, and the prestigious Arthur Sidney Bedell Award. 

Infrastructure Improvements, News

Charlotte Water invited to apply for competitive $169 million in funds from EPA WIFIA loan program

On December 3rd, the EPA announced that Charlotte Water’s $169 million Mallard Creek Sewer Basin Wastewater Collection and Treatment Improvements program achieved one of 39 new invitations to the competitive Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans program.

Charlotte Water is excited and proud to apply for funding under the EPA’s WIFIA program. Funding for Charlotte Water projects allows us to leverage rate payer fees to make critical improvements to our community’s aging infrastructure.

The EPA’s WIFIA program helps empower borrowers across the United States to achieve their infrastructure improvement goals through financial tools targeted at keeping rates affordable for large projects.

The Mallard Creek Sewer Basin Wastewater Collection and Treatment Improvements program is part of Charlotte Water’s five-year, $1.7 billion capital plan. This plan is part of the City’s Community Investment Program, or CIP, which appropriates dollars from specific funding sources for capital, or construction and
improvement projects. Charlotte Water’s CIP projects place Charlotte in a position to ensure local and regional growth. To learn more about Community Investment, please see our webpage.

Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and Improvements

Charlotte Water plans to make infrastructure improvements to add capacity to the Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant over the next few years. The plant was built in 1979 and handles wastewater treatment for residents and businesses in the Mallard Creek and Back Creek basins.

In the past few years, the Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant has operated close to its allowed limit and is expected to exceed it by 2021. This is due to increased growth in the area aligned with the extension of the Blue Line from Uptown Charlotte to UNC Charlotte.

This project will increase the allowed limit to phased levels of expansion, expected to accommodate current and expected growth over the next three to 12 years. Expanding the capacity is critical in order to accommodate development in the area. Stay tuned about this and other capital improvement projects on our projects page.