Tag Archives: growth

Construction, Infrastructure Improvements

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.

Construction, Infrastructure Improvements

Flushing and the growth of the Queen City

Before cranes build the next skyscraper or apartment complex, developers must reach out to Charlotte Water to see if the wastewater infrastructure has the capacity for the increase in the-ahem-flow.

From the pipes that carry your wastewater to the treatment plants, to the plants themselves, they all have a specific amount of wastewater that they can hold and treat before the system gets overwhelmed. If a building with say 600 new units wants to be developed but our pipes couldn’t handle the extra waste then development halts until the capacity issue is resolved. This delay in construction is not good for business or the growth of our city, so that is where our Capacity Assurance Program comes in. Our highly trained engineers, who take projected growth and future developments into consideration, review the capacity of our entire system. In calendar year 2018 Charlotte Water received 391 separate requests, it is anticipated that there will be more than 600 requests by the end of 2019.

This isn’t something that we just eyeball, there is a science to it. We anticipate a specific number of gallons of wastewater will be produced from each particular type of development, as you can see below:

  • 190 gallons per day for each dwelling unit for single-family residential areas (including townhouses).
  • 135 gallons per day for each multi-family residential unit.
  • 25 gallons per employee/shift for office space.

This information helps our engineers know whether a new or redeveloped site can handle the increase in wastewater and respond appropriately to each developers request for access to the wastewater system. A major part of our capital budget, which is funded through water and sewer rates, goes towards increasing the capacity of our system.

Our staff works hard to make sure we anticipate growth and perform projects to increase capacity before development starts. Our recent wastewater project near Barringer Drive is a great example of upsizing pipes to fit new developments.

“This project is a success story,” said Angela Lee, Director of Charlotte Water.  “We were going to clean and install a new liner in the pipe. Before we started, the service area started to redevelop and we were able to quickly change course and upsize the pipe before major private developments started building vertically. This project is one of many that show our passion to serve the public and the ability to deliver on-time commitments to the community.”

The original wastewater pipes were eight to ten inches in diameter, the new pipes are now 18 or 24 inches in diameter. The total cost of the project was $2.5 million.

“While we installed the wastewater pipe, private developers were able to start their construction as well. Our new pipe was in service before the developments were completed.”

Charlotte Water has made sure the Capacity Assurance Program aligns with the development time frame from conception to completion to support rather than impede the growth of Charlotte.

For more information about other projects being done throughout Mecklenburg County to increase capacity,  and improve water quality and reliability visit our website.

Projects, What's Going On?

Are you a business owner? Come work with Charlotte Water

Please join Charlotte Water on December 14th at 8 a.m. for “Work with Water”, a vendor networking event. You’ll get a chance to meet other vendors as well as Charlotte Water staff. If you’re not already a vendor with the City but want to work with Charlotte Water, your business can sign up on site to become a vendor.

Capacity is limited to 200 individuals, so please sign up here. The event will be held at the Airport CLT Center 5601 Wilkinson Blvd. Parking is available in the Business Valet Deck just enter from Harlee Avenue and following the event parking signs.

For more information, please contact Frederica Love at flove@charlottenc.gov. Bring your W-9 or Tax ID if you’d like to register on the spot to become a City vendor.

Construction, Infrastructure Improvements

Updates to Capacity and Development Fees for FY 2019

Some Charlotte Water Capacity Fees Drop In July

At their June 11, 2018 meeting, the Charlotte City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget. Along with that budget, the FY 2019 Charlotte Water fee schedule was approved. Due to legislated revisions to the methodology, some Capacity and Connection Fees are decreasing in FY 2019. The Charlotte Water fee schedule for FY 2019, which will become effective July 1, 2018, can be found on the Charlotte Water website.

Water Main Extensions Required for New Service Requests on Larger Pipes

Also effective July 1, 2018, customers requesting any new water service tap requests that have immediate access to a 30-inch transmission main AND larger will be required to complete a water main extension application. For those service taps on a 20- or 24-inch water line, Charlotte Water reserves the right to connect to a local smaller main. New service requests will not change for taps on 16-inch or smaller mains. Though additional construction delivery time may be needed for new service tap requests on extensions 30-inch or larger, these changes in system design will enhance distribution system water quality and customer serviceability.

FY 2019 Plan Review & Inspection Fees

Two years ago Charlotte Water introduced plan review and inspection fees for the first time to recover employee time costs.  Since the utility had never recouped review and inspection costs previously, percentages of the fees were received on an escalating basis for three years.

  • From 7-1-16 through 6-30-17 – 50% of the fees recovered
  • From 7-1-17 through 6-30-18 – 75% of the fees recovered
  • From 7-1-18 onward – 100% of fees recovered.

The schedule of plan review and inspection fees effective July 1, 2018 can be found on Charlotte Water’s website.

Visit charlottewater.org and click on Development for more information.