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!
As part of the ongoing partnership with local communities, the Stowe Regional Project team continues to engage with the local Whitewater schools. During the month of May, CLTWater staff and Stowe team members participated in several activities at the school.
On May 3, CLTWater made a big splash at the Whitewater Middle School Career Fair. This STEM magnet school has been a great neighbor to our new Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility. CLTWater representatives from Engineering, Field Operations, Customer Service, Laboratory, Learning and Development, and Stowe contractors met with students to talk about career opportunities and what it’s like to work in the water industry.
The Career Day also provided the Stowe Team with an opportunity to meet schoolteachers and staff to begin planning for ESTEM education (environmental, science, technology, engineering and math) opportunities in the 2023-24 school year.
Water Week Celebration 2023
On May 6, over 60 Charlotte Water staff, 7 external exhibitors, and over 400 members of the public celebrated Drinking Water Week at the Quest Center in Huntersville. It was a day of education and celebration to recognize all of the hard work that goes into bringing safe, clean, and reliable water services to our community.
The free, open-to-the-public, family fun day included indoor and outdoor activities and our Water Wagon’s re-launch! Director Angela Charles greeted the public and conveyed the importance of Drinking Water Week in our community. To formally kick of Water Week, Charles read the proclamation that signifies Charlotte’s dedication to clean water for everyone. Attendees of the celebration enjoyed yard games, face painting, snack vendors, information booths and more. External partners included Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Stormwater Services, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Sustain Charlotte, Carolina Raptor Center, Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, and 811.
Thank you to all those at Charlotte Water who made this event a huge success. It takes a tremendous amount of teamwork to safely gather hundreds of people for a festival and engage meaningfully. Many members of the public (including Miss Huntersville!) conveyed how impressed they were with our engaging and kind staff.
On-going Charlotte Water and DSS Collaboration
On May 7, CLTWater and Department of Social Services’ (DSS) representatives attended a Community Baby Shower sponsored by District 2 PHA OES and non-profit organization Dream Xperience. The recipients of the baby shower goods were young & pregnant mothers in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Charlotte.
During the event, Dee, Charlotte Water’s Financial Aid Program Coordinator and DSS liaison was there to assist members of the public with their water bills. Dee looked up water accounts, explained bills, enrolled customers in payment plans if needed and let customers know what agencies in the community help with water bills. DSS provided applications and information for guests to apply for and receive information about DSS resources.
All excess baby supplies were donated to Angel House Maternity Home.
Charlotte Water and DSS will continue to look for opportunities such as this one to help connect residents who may need help to resources and assistance.
Stowe visits Whitewater Middle School for concert
On May 9, Whitewater Middle School held their year-end orchestra band concert. The Stowe Team attended to provide backpacks, water bottles, and activity books to students as well as project information to parents. This type of outreach has been performed during a variety of extra-curricular activities throughout the school year to engage different groups of parents and students.
Stowe at RiverFest in Belmont, hosted by Catawba Riverkeeper
On May 13, the Stowe Project team went to Belmont and had an awesome time attending RiverFest. The Stowe project team talked to about 200 attendees about the new Stowe facility, the partnership with Gaston County, and how it would benefits the northwest communities and residents. Display boards illustrated how wastewater pipelines had been installed connecting Mount Holly to the new Stowe Facility, as well as the location of the new Belmont Pump Station and the Paw Creek Pump Station it will connect to, in order to inform residents about routing and construction process. We are thankful for our partners at the Catawba Riverkeepers, for inviting us.
On May 18th, Charlotte experienced one of the largest fires in the city’s history. Charlotte Water (CLTWater) responded with
Managers on location to assist with any water supply needs,
Operators pumped more water to the area,
Crews were on hand to assist if there were any water supply challenges.
Crews surveyed the area looking for and responding to water main breaks.
Water main breaks are likely after a massive flow of water is used for fighting fires.
Thank you to all that assisted in the response to ensure there was enough water supply and pressure for the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) response.
“The partnership with the Charlotte Fire Department started more than 100 years ago and it is a weekly and sometimes daily coordination that enables us to assist in this crucial public safety role,”,” said Angela Charles, Director of Charlotte Water. “The investment in our water infrastructure has been instrumental in maintaining water supply and water pressure to serve our growing community and public safety needs.”
Charlotte Water Director Angela Charles coordinating with the Charlotte Fire Department during the fire.
Charlotte Water is thrilled to continue the tradition of celebrating National Drinking Water Week within our communities. Drinking Water Week recognizes the vital role water plays in everyday life for both water professionals and the communities they serve.
This year, Charlotte Water is excited to host a day of family fun at the Quest Nature Center on May 6th, 2023, from 11 am to 3 pm. There will be games, guest exhibitors, and many family-friendly activities!
Charlotte Water invites the public to learn about the importance of clean, safe water in daily life and its role in our public health, environment, and thriving community.
Come meet some of Charlotte’s water heroes and sustainability groups that support our region!
Charlotte Water is proud to serve our community 24/7, 365 days a year, bringing clean, safe drinking water to over 1.1 million residents across Mecklenburg County.
A conversation with Charlotte Water
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