Tag Archives: drinking water

General, How Things Work, My Water, Wastewater, Water Quality

Plumbing Tips When Buying A House

Buying a house is exciting and a little scary. Before you pick the final one, check out below tips to reduce future costs and concerns…

Questions to ask the owner / realtor

  • Is the water service provided by Charlotte Water, a third party, or is the property on a private well?
    • Is wastewater service also provided by Charlotte Water?
  • If the house was built more than 50 years ago, has the plumbing been replaced? If it hasn’t, that could cost thousands of dollars to replace.
  • Are there any utility easements under the property?
  • Is there a pressure-reducing valve on the water service line?
  • Where is the water meter?
    • If the water meter is between the street and a sidewalk, and the private plumbing service line needs to be replaced, any damage to a sidewalk will be up to the property owner to pay.

Easements

CLTWater easements are not typically reported as part of a title search for title insurance when purchasing a property. Surveying the property is the best way to determine if there are any easements on it.​ Learn more at https://cltwaterblog.org/2023/03/easement-101/.

Low Water Pressure

If the property is at the top of a hill or on the highest part of the neighborhood, it is likely you will experience lower water pressure than others in the neighborhood. Learn more about other possible factors at charlottewater.org.

High Water Pressure

If the property is located beside a creek, at the bottom of a hill, or in the lowest part of the neighborhood, it may have higher water pressure than other properties in the neighborhood. Learn more about other possible factors at charlottewater.org.

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

If the house is located in a geographically low area (near a creek) or near a water pumping facility, the water pressure may exceed 80 psi. Learn more at charlottewater.org.

Irrigation and Backflow Prevention Device Testing

If the house has an irrigation system, it probably also has a backflow prevention device that requires testing. 

Wastewater Cleanout

Most homes also have a white plastic lid, commonly referred to as a cleanout. This provides access to the wastewater pipe between your house and the public wastewater system, allowing you to inspect and clear blockages. Many houses do not have a cleanout and may be worth considering, especially if you have trees in the front yard.

Backwater Valve

A plumbing fixture called a backwater valve can prevent sewage backups. The North Carolina State Plumbing Code has required backwater valves in some homes since the early 1930s. If your plumbing fixtures are located below the top of the first upstream manhole, state regulations require the installation of a backwater valve. To determine if your property has a backwater valve or needs one, please consult a professional plumber or contractor. Learn more about other possible wastewater issues at charlottewater.org.


Waterfront Properties and Homes Lower Than The Public Street

If your future home is on waterfront property or the public road is higher than your house, the house may have a low-pressure sanitary sewer system to pump your wastewater up to the gravity-fed sewer system. Make sure you understand how old the pump is and if there have been any issues with the system. If you choose to purchase the home, consider having a plumber inspect it occasionally.

Read Inspector Notes

Consider getting a home inspector to investigate the house. When reviewing the inspector’s notes, pay close attention to any remarks related to the plumbing system. The inspector may provide details about the pipe type and age, potential water or wastewater issues, and the presence of easements affecting the property. Do any of the noted issues need immediate repair?

When reading the home inspection report, you may see information about water flow in gallons per minute (gpm) or water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi). The minimum expected levels at the water meter are

  • Flow is equal to or greater than 8 gpm
  • Pressure is equal to or greater than 20 psi
  • If the house numbers are lower than these, please consult with the inspector on readings. Backflow prevention devices, pressure-reducing valves, whole-house filtration systems, and other attachments to the plumbing system may restrict flow or pressure inside a home.

Set Up Your Account Days Before Moving In

Don’t forget…before moving in, call us to set up your account several days in advance. Learn more at https://www.charlottenc.gov/water/Customer-Care/Start-Stop-Service

Other Resources

My Charlotte Lookup to learn about property, district, and trash/recycling details.

Photobook of Water and Wastewater Construction to learn more about what water and wastewater structures may be in a yard and how to determine the type of plumbing you have.

Cautionary Tale: Replace Old Water Service Line Before It Becomes an Emergency.

Construction, How Things Work, Infrastructure Improvements

How CLTWater Repairs Leaks Under Highways, Interstates

To serve customers, CLTWater has water pipes under most roads, including crossing under highways and interstates.

So what happens when there is a leak or a necessary repair under a highway or interstate?

It starts with a lot of planning and preparation.

Teams of engineers and crews investigate the scope of the repair and begin working with the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to minimize impact on drivers.

Example: In the fall of 2024, crews installing a new pipe under Interstate 85 found excessive water entering the tunneling pits. Investigations revealed two underground leaks and cracked asphalt, which showed signs of water damage.

  • The team worked on an emergency plan.
  • At least one lane was closed on the interstate from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am Monday through Friday for at least a month.
  • Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans of each lane of the interstate helped identify the location of leaks and voids under the asphalt.
  • Stabilizing foam was injected under multiple lanes. More than 600, ¾ inch diameter holes were bored and injected to stabilize the subsurface.
  • The pipes were investigated from the inside using robot cameras. The pipes were in good condition, but some seals needed to be temporarily installed to keep them in service.
  • New pipes were installed inside the existing pipes to maintain use and minimize leaks.


Additional Resources:
How Charlotte Water Repairs Water Pipe Leaks | Charlotte Water Blog

Behind the Scenes, Construction, General, How Things Work, Repairs and Spills

Minimizing Water Disruptions To Customers: An Emergency Repair on IBM Drive

In July 2025, Charlotte Water faced a significant emergency repair on a water main running along IBM Drive, an essential roadway servicing both commercial and residential areas. The section of the line required urgent repair, but the stakes were high. A complete shutdown would have resulted in water loss for two sizeable businesses as well as a large neighborhood.

The risk of widespread service disruption posed serious consequences for local commerce and daily life. Charlotte Water needed a solution that would allow it to isolate the repair site without interrupting service to its key customers, and our staff rose to the occasion.

“We were able to complete the repair quickly and efficiently without disrupting service to our commercial or residential customers,” said Jason Bromirski, a senior engineer at Charlotte Water. “This is an ideal outcome for such a critical location.”

To maintain service while addressing the damaged main, Charlotte Water installed an insta-valve. The insta-valve can be installed on an existing in-service main and allows us to perform maintenance or repairs without shutting down nearby blocks of the water distribution system.

Some problems require creative solutions, and Charlotte Water works every day to keep our water safe, reliable and flowing to your homes and businesses.

General, Water Quality

Bad Drinking Water Tastes and Odors May Be Coming from Your Own Front Yard

It may seem surprising, but what you do in your front yard can affect the taste and odor of your drinking water.

How? 

Your private plumbing system begins at the end of the meter box. The plumbing in your front yard may be made of PVC, PEX, or other pipe materials that can allow some outside chemical contaminants, such as pesticides and fuels, to seep through their joints. 

Why should I care? 

Damaging your service line can be costly, often requiring thousands of dollars for replacement. Read the stories below to learn more from real-life events.

Real-Life Examples

– A customer parked their car over the grass between the meter box and their house. The car’s oil leak seeped into the service pipe. 

– A customer attempted to eliminate an underground wasp nest by pouring gasoline into the hole. The gas flowed beside the private service line, causing odor and taste issues, and had to be replaced. 

– A customer reported a chemical odor and taste that was traced to a painter washing a brush with turpentine and pouring the turpentine on the ground over the water line.

– A customer reported a plastic odor and taste, which was traced a garden hose filled with water in the heating up from the sun and creating a bad taste. 

– A customer reported a chemical soapy odor and taste that was traced to a plant fertilizer bottle attached to the hose.  A low-pressure event can cause water to be back-siphoned into the house if there is no backflow prevention device.

Tips 

  • Call NC811 before you dig.
    • Most service lines run straight from the meter box to the home. Is anything leaking above the service line, like a car?
    • Was anything sprayed or poured on the front yard between the water meter and the home?
  • Run cold water for 10 minutes to see if the problem continues. 
  • Check all faucets to see if the issue is isolated to one faucet or affects the entire house. 
  • Talk to your neighbors to see if they are experiencing similar issues. 
  • If you notice any unusual odor or taste, call 311 immediately and say or select water quality emergency.
  • Drain odors can often be mistaken for tap water odors.  Pour a glass of water and move away from the sink drain.  Smell the glass of water; if no odor, check the drain and perform cleaning. 
  • Aging water heaters can cause odors.  If your cold water has no odor but the hot water does, perform maintenance on your water heater as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.