Water / Wastewater
7190 Valley Blvd, Hwy. 321
PO Box 47
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
Ph:(828) 295-5225 (Water Plant) Fax:(828) 295-5202
Ph:(828) 295-5226 (Sewer Plant) Fax:(828) 295-5202
Mr. Tom McRary, Director of Plant Operations
Mr. Mike Wilcox, Director of Field Operations
DEPARTMENT: Water and Sewer Plant and Field
Operations
Description and
Responsibilities
The Water and Sewer Department is
responsible for the operation of a Water Treatment Plant, the operation and
maintenance of the water distribution system, the operation of a Wastewater Treatment
Plant, and the operation and maintenance of the wastewater collection system.
Water Plant
The
1.0 MGD Water
Treatment Plant (expandable
to 2.0 MGD) was
constructed in 1978 and receives water from the Town’s 45-47 million gallon pond
on Brickhouse Creek, with Chetola Lake serving as a backup water source during
times of drought. The plant is located along U.S. Highway 321 just south of the
Blue Ridge Parkway. The facility is a traditional treatment process including
alum addition, flocculation, settling and filtration. Corrosion control is also
utilized prior to distribution to the residents using phosphates.
The Town’s service area is
entirely south of the Water Treatment Plant. Finished water is pumped to a high
elevation, then allowed to gravity feed into the service area. The Green Hill
tank, capacity 3.0 MGD, is the means of control at the highest point of the
system. A number of pressure reducing valves have been placed in the system to
control maximum pressures for the residents.
The Town has actively sought new
water sources, which may prove to be more reliable. In times of drought and
high demand, the current source is of inadequate quantity. At this time, the
Town of Blowing Rock is under restrictions imposed by North Carolina Department
of Environment and Natural Resources restricting development, which would
result in additional water service connections. In 2008, the Town executed a
water agreement with the Town of Boone for an emergency water system
interconnection. This project is currently under construction and should be
completed during this fiscal year.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Town of Blowing
Rock operates a Wastewater Treatment Plant very near the Water
Treatment Plant and utilizes a discharge to the Middle Fork of the New River. The plant is rated for capacity of .800 MGD,
but could be expanded to a service capacity of 1.2 MGD. The original plant was
constructed in 1960 and refurbished and expanded in 1989. The facility is fed
by four (4) sewer system lift stations that handle the entire volume of
wastewater generated by the community. The facility is of concrete construction
and is set up for extended aeration treatment. The plant operators sample the
water discharge everyday and also send samples out three times per week to an
independent testing lab to insure environmental compliance.
Water & Sewer Field
Operations Division
The Field Operations division is
responsible for all water and sewer taps, leak repair and water line
installation. This department is also responsible for all water meter reading
in the town on a bi-monthly basis. In addition, this department maintains the
water distribution system and the wastewater collection system.
There are approximately 2,205
water meters and 1,722 sewer taps in the system. The water distribution system
consists of approximately 22 miles of lines. The wastewater collection system
consists of approximately 15.8 miles of gravity sewer lines and 3.4 miles of
pressure sewer. There are four (4) wastewater lift-stations: Mayview, Chetola,
Chestnut and Quail Hollow.
Staffing and Schedules
A Director of Water &
Wastewater Plant Operations, two (2) Senior Plant Operators, and a Plant
Operator are assigned to Water Plant and Wastewater Plant Divisions. The
personnel work a varied schedule to meet the service demands of the utility.
Three (3) Heavy Equipment
Operators and an Equipment Operator I are assigned to the Water & Sewer -
Field Operations Division. The division uses other employees, as needed, for
the reading of water meters. The
personnel work a standard 40 hour week schedule and are on call for emergency
repairs.
Measures of Activity
2008/2009 Wastewater Plant - Average
Daily Flow 2008/2009 Water Plant - Total Water
Treated
|
Month
|
2008
Average Daily
(.800 MGD capacity)
|
2009
Average Daily
(.800 MGD capacity)
|
|
Month
|
2008
Total Water Treated
(Million Gallons)
|
2009
Total Water Treated
(Million Gallons)
|
|
January
|
.212
|
.253
|
January
|
16.8121
|
10.2958
|
|
February
|
.224
|
.166
|
February
|
13.6414
|
8.8206
|
|
March
|
.304
|
.180
|
March
|
13.6908
|
8.5464
|
|
April
|
.207
|
.266
|
April
|
14.5086
|
8.7979
|
|
May
|
.194
|
.435
|
May
|
15.8770
|
9.7860
|
|
June
|
.196
|
.409
|
June
|
13.4592
|
12.0500
|
|
July
|
.286
|
.255
|
July
|
16.8341
|
14.5137
|
|
August
|
.260
|
.260
|
August
|
15.7925
|
12.0820
|
|
September
|
.278
|
.316
|
September
|
13.7923
|
11.9136
|
|
October
|
.248
|
.346
|
October
|
13.5381
|
12.4491
|
|
November
|
.215
|
.322
|
November
|
9.5318
|
9.1295
|
|
December
|
.280
|
.364
|
December
|
12.0888
|
11.6520
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
169.5667
|
130.0366
|
|
TOTAL TREATED
|
88.550 MG
|
108.592 MG
|
MONTHLYAVERAGE
|
14.1305
|
10.8364
|
