-Press Release, NC Environmental Quality

The N.C. Division of Water Resources has honored 69 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.

The division’s Public Water Supply section has awarded the facilities the prestigious N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award, which is part of a state effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.

In 2017, the state recognized four facilities with the “Gold Star” honor, which is an award for systems that have received the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award for 10 consecutive years. They are Newton, Lincolnton, Marion and Henderson-Kerr Lake Regional Water Authority.

Awards are given each year to water systems that demonstrate outstanding turbidity removal, a key test of drinking water quality. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of water caused by individual particles that can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Microbes are microscopic particles that occur naturally but can include harmful bacteria and viruses.

While all drinking water systems must meet strict state and federal drinking water standards, these systems met performance goals that are significantly more stringent. During 2017, more than 3.8 million North Carolina residents were served by these award-winning plants.

The award winners for 2017 are Andrews, Appalachian State University, Boone, Broad River Water Authority, Brunswick County, Burlington – Ed Thomas, Burnsville, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority – Wilmington-Sweeney, Cary, Charlotte Water – Franklin, Charlotte Water – Lee S. Duke, Charlotte Water – Vest, Cherryville, Concord – Coddle Creek, Concord – Hillgrove, Dallas, Davidson – Gregg W. Stabler, Eden – Robert A. Harris, Elkin, Fayetteville PWC – Hoffer, Forest City, Franklin, Greenville Utilities Commission – Charles Horne, Hamlet, Harnett County, Hendersonville, Henderson-Kerr Lake Regional Water Authority, Hickory, Hillsborough, Johnston County – East, Johnston County – West, Kannapolis, King, Lenoir, Lincoln County, Lincolnton, Madison, Maggie Valley Sanitary District, Marion, Mayodan, Montgomery County, Mooresville – Plant 2, Morganton – Catawba, Mount Airy – F.G. Doggett, Mount Airy – S. L. Spencer, Mount Holly, Newton, Norwood, Orange Water & Sewer Authority, Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority – John F. Kime, Pilot Mountain, Pittsboro, Raleigh – D.E. Benton, Raleigh – E.M. Johnson, Robbinsville – Rock Creek, Sandford, Smithfield, Southern Pines, Tarboro, Thomasville, Tuckaseigee, Valdese, Waynesville – Allens Creek, Weaverville – Ivy River, Western Carolina University, Wilkesboro, Winston-Salem – P.W. Swann, Winston-Salem – R.A. Thomas, Winston-Salem – R.W. Neilson.

For more information, contact N.C. Drinking Water Protection Program Coordinator Rebecca Sadosky at Rebecca.Sadosky@ncdenr.gov or 919-707-9096.