The Charlotte Water team was thrilled to earn coverage of Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility (Stowe RWRRF) in the September/October 2024 issue of American Infrastructure magazine. In an article titled “Public Works Water Maintenance Practices,” Charlotte Water Division Manager Nicole Bartlett takes readers on an interesting journey outlining the key features that will bring the utility’s largest construction project ever to life.
A key advantage of this new wastewater facility set on the tranquil banks of the Catawba River includes its ability to process 15 million gallons of wastewater daily – and eventually 25 million gallons daily – at a time when the population of Stowe Facility’s service area is expected to grow from 104,199 residents in 2024 to 177,166 residents in 2034.
Charlotte Water strives to be a conscientious steward of the environment. It planned with the Cities of Belmont and Mount Holly to decommission two aging municipal wastewater treatment plants in those two cities, opting to replace them with pumping stations that send their respective water flows to Stowe RWRRF instead. This was a significant accomplishment because it would have required complicated and extensive upgrades for each of the older plants to meet new environmental regulations for operation set by the government.
The article explains how Charlotte Water is using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), a cutting-edge technology, to send wastewater flows from Belmont and Mount Holly to Stowe RWRRF via force mains installed deep underneath the Catawba River. The force mains are located in tunnels that were forged directly into the bedrock.
Stowe RWRRF will also reduce the long route it previously required to pump wastewater from the NorthLake Mall area all the way to Pineville by more than half. Moreover, its advanced water cleaning technology will guarantee that the water that is placed back into the Catawba River will be near drinking water quality, a definite win for the environment.
The project also includes many features that can be appreciated by the community on the tranquil 90 acres of natural habitat it is preserving. These include a walking trail, a multiuse path with views of Long Creek, a public meeting space perfect for meetings and workshops, a partnership with the Catawba Lands Conservancy to develop future trails, as well as ongoing partnerships with local schools that focus on programming to inspire young minds to pursue careers in STEM.
Thanks to far-reaching government collaboration and the creation of strong partnerships between the three municipalities, Stowe RWRRF is not only a financially sound project, but also an environmentally conscious one that will promote a more sustainable region in the years to come.
Explore this informative article for all the details and learn more about Stowe RWRRF by checking out our Stowe 101 website.