Planning for the Future: NC Currents Article

Charlotte Water’s Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility is “pioneering a collaborative approach to regional wastewater management,” as recently stated in a Spring 2024 article of NC Currents, the official publication of NC One Water.

The article discusses how Stowe Facility will serve an increasing population for years to come by consolidating two wastewater treatment plants into one, state-of-the-art facility. Using the latest water treatment technology, Stowe Facility will achieve near drinking quality levels for the water that is released back into the Catawba River, meaning enhanced environmental sustainability.

Additionally, the article steps back in time to provide an in-depth look into the vision held by Charlotte Water’s former Director and project namesake Joseph C. Stowe Jr.  for creating more diversity and inclusivity within the organization’s workforce. It also chronicles Charlotte Water’s fascinating journey through the years to build partnerships with the nearby Cities of Belmont and Mount Holly to get the $302 million Stowe Facility project off the ground. Engineering aficionados will likewise enjoy reading the details of how Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) was used in the project to install pipelines under large bodies of water.

Maintaining strong relationships with the community is a key goal for us at Charlotte Water. The NC Currents’ article highlights Stowe Facility’s commitment to community outreach programs via online public workshops, social media campaigns, informative site tours, our employees attending local school events, nonprofit festivals and regional conferences and our establishment of a community stakeholder committee as important examples. Furthermore, Stowe Facility will include a Community Benefit Project featuring 90 acres of preserved land to include an educational walking trail, plans for future trail construction with Catawba Lands Conservancy and a multi-use path along a new access road and bridge to grow the relationship between the facility and its surrounding neighbors who will be invited to spend time in these green spaces.

We hope you like learning more about our efforts to bring to life one of the largest undertakings in our organization’s history!