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Project Overview
Our region is growing! That means there will be more wastewater to process and treat. To meet this demand, Charlotte Water is building a new wastewater treatment facility along the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County. The Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility uses state-of-the-art technology to meet strict environmental standards.
This project is transformational for the region! The cities of Charlotte, Mount Holly and Belmont formed a partnership to manage wastewater regionally. This will be more cost-effective for customers and sustainable for the environment.
Our water resources are best managed regionally. The new Stowe Facility will serve northwestern Mecklenburg County and eastern Gaston County. The wastewater treatment plants in Belmont and Mount Holly will be replaced with pump stations. These pump stations will transport wastewater to Charlotte Water’s system for treatment.
Engineering and design are now underway. Construction activities have started. We expect construction to be complete by 2028. For details on our progress, check out our annual newsletter, Stowe Wrapped 2024!
How Water is Treated Currently
In eastern Gaston County, Mount Holly and Belmont are both currently operating their own municipal wastewater treatment plants. These are located in the same section of the Catawba River. Sending their wastewater to the Stowe Facility for treatment provides many environmental benefits.
What Will This Project Do?
01.
Build a new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility
02.
Streamline wastewater treatment in northwestern Mecklenburg County and eastern Gaston County
03.
Replace two aging treatment plants
04.
Retire the existing Wastewater Treatment Plants in Mount Holly and Belmont
05.
Treat wastewater from northwestern Mecklenburg County locally
What Would Happen Without This Project?
The existing treatment plants in Mount Holly and Belmont would need major upgrades to meet new environmental requirements. Both plants would need expansions to serve their growing communities.
Charlotte Water would have to replace more than 20 miles of underground pipelines. Right now, these pipelines transport wastewater from Northlake all the way to Pineville. Replacing these pipes would be expensive and construction would impact many communities.
Building the new Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility makes sense for our region! It will cost less for customers and be better for the environment.
Project Funding
The Stowe RWRRF project involves multiple components that contribute to its overall scope, which goes beyond just the new treatment facility’s design and construction. Funded by Charlotte Water’s Revenue Bonds, the total cost is estimated at approximately $650 million.
Overall, many of the project components are in construction, with a few complete! There are a couple of components that are still being engineered, so the overall project cost will be updated as the project moves through design and into construction.
Here’s a breakdown of the costs (2023 estimate) with an explanation of each project component:
- Stowe Treatment Facility ($301M): This is the main component of the project, responsible for treating wastewater to meet environmental and regulatory standards before releasing it back into the environment.
- Mount Holly Pump Station and Force Mains ($40M) This pump station will transfer wastewater from the City of Mount Holly, NC through force mains (pressurized pipelines) to Charlotte Water’s system for treatment. Mount Holly contributed funding for their component of the project.
- Stowe Headworks and Influent Pump Station, Generator Building, and Flow Equalization Basins ($194M): The headworks and influent pump station will provide preliminary treatment and then transfer wastewater either to flow equalization for storage or to the new Stowe Treatment Facility for treatment.
- Stowe Access Driveway and Bridge ($16M): New access roads and a bridge will be constructed to provide transportation routes to and from the Stowe facility, improving connectivity and supporting construction and operational needs.
- Belmont Pump Station and Force Mains (TBD): This pump station will transfer wastewater from the City of Belmont, NC through force mains to the treatment facility. Project is currently in detailed design. The cost estimate is based on the current design at this stage of the engineering process. Belmont will contribute funding for their component of the project.
- Regional Solids Conveyance (estimated $42M): This system will handle the transportation of solid waste materials removed during the treatment process to other locations for further processing or disposal. One portion of the project is under construction, while the remaining portion is anticipated to bid in Summer 2025.