The Town of Mooresville, NC (Town) is evaluating several options to expand wastewater treatment capacity for its rapidly growing service population. One of these alternatives would require an increase to the Town's approved legacy interbasin transfer (IBT). In consultation with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), it was determined the most appropriate way to proceed with an evaluation of alternatives is through the framework of an IBT evaluation, in accordance with General Statute 143-215.22(L) - Regulation of Surface Water Transfers.

The Town is in Iredell County immediately north of Mecklenburg County and Charlotte, along 1-77. It has a current population approaching 55,000 people. The Town has a water supply intake in Lake Norman and has historically received its water supply from the Catawba River. Our withdrawal from the Catawba River predates Lake Norman which was impounded by Duke Energy in the early 1960s. The ridgeline between the Catawba and Yadkin-Pee Dee River basins is located through the middle of the Town, with railroad tracks being the approximate basin divide. Wastewater is treated at the Rocky River Wastewater Treatment Plant (RRWWTP) and discharged to Dye Branch, which is a tributary to the Rocky River in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin.

The IBT General Statute was first passed in 1993 and it was determined that at that time the Town had the capacity to transfer 9.54 million gallons per day (MGD) with its water and wastewater facilities. This is referred to as the Town's legacy IBT and is 9.54 MGD on a maximum day basis, equivalent to 8.0 MGD on an average day over the maximum calendar month basis. The Town currently has a permitted wastewater discharge capacity of 7.5 MGD. The Town needs to begin expansion of its wastewater treatment capacity in the next five years to meet the needs of the growing population.

Several options to increase wastewater treatment capacity were identified in a comprehensive water and wastewater master plan, and include:

1. Continue Existing Discharge: Expand capacity at the current wastewater treatment plant and continue discharging solely to Dye Branch. This would require an IBT Certificate with a total transfer of 12.6 MGD on an average day over the maximum calendar month basis.
2. Catawba Basin Discharge: Expand capacity at the current wastewater treatment plant and build a pipeline to discharge a portion of the treated wastewater into Lake Norman in the Catawba River Basin, allowing the Town to stay under the legacy IBT allowance.
3. Neighboring Utility: Divert a portion of untreated wastewater to Charlotte Water's system for treatment at the McDowell Wastewater Treatment Plant, which discharges to a tributary flowing into Mountain Island Lake (Catawba River Basin), allowing the Town to stay under the legacy IBT allowance.

The Town of Mooresville will hold five in-person public meetings to discuss these and other alternatives for increasing wastewater treatment capacity. The purpose of these meetings is for citizens to learn more and comment on alternatives for increasing wastewater treatment capacity. These meetings will be conducted in a drop-in, open house format. This is not a sit-down public meeting with a formal presentation. Attendees are welcome to arrive anytime during the scheduled meetings (please note: at least 30 minutes is likely necessary to review information and make comments). Handouts will be provided and attendees will be able to submit written comments during the open house or on line afterwards.

The in-person open house meetings are as follows:

• Mooresville, NC
  • Thursday, November 7, 2024
  • 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Charles Mack Citizen Center (215 N. Main St., Mooresville, NC)
• Hickory, NC *
  • Tuesday, November 12, 2024
  • 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Hickory Metro Convention Center (1960 13th Ave Dr SE #5186, Hickory, NC)
• Monroe, NC
  • Thursday, November 14, 2024
  • 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Walter Bickett Elementary School (830 ML King Blvd. S., Monroe, NC)
• Lancaster, SC
  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024
  • 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Catawba Falls Events (4223 Cedar Creek Rd., Lancaster, SC)
• Mooresville, NC
  • Thursday, November 21, 2024
  • 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. (please note later start time)
  • East Mooresville Intermediate School (1711 Landis Hwy, Mooresville, NC)

* The Town is currently working to secure an additional meeting in the Hickory/Morganton area at a later date to esure our neighboring communities so affected by Helene have the opportunity to provide input.

For those who are unable to attend one of the in-person meetings, the Town will make the information available to review virtually on the Town's website by November 7, 2024.

Public comments can be emailed to ww_comments@mooresvillenc.gov and will be accepted until December 21, 2024. Written comments may also be mailed before December 21, 2024 to:

Town of Mooresville Operations Center
Attn: Wastewater Comments
2523 Charlotte Highway
Mooresville, NC 28117

Further information on the wastewater treatment capacity alternatives being considered and on the IBT process can be found on the Town of Mooresville website at https://mooresvillenc.gov/wastewater_capacity and on the NC DEQ site.

Contact ww_comments@mooresvillenc.gov with any questions.