The first phase of a long-term plan to expand the city of Clinton’s water system is well on its way, thanks to stimulus funding for the construction of a new clearwell at the water treatment facility.

Bids for the project were opened Sept. 3, and the project was bid according to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding requirements, according to Chris Doherty, the city’s public works director. Six bids were received, with Colt Contracting being the low bidder at $245,000.

The City Council voted unanimously to award the bid to Colt Contracting.

The city previously applied for stimulus funding for the construction of a second clearwell at the Well Field East Water Production Plant. In June, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources awarded the city $458,000 for the project. Half of the awarded stimulus funds are a forgiven loan and the other half represents a zero-percent interest loan, Doherty said.

According to city officials, the “excellent” water system will become even better because of the ARRA funds.

Currently, the city provides sewer service to residents, commercial businesses (restaurants and stores) and industrial users (Smithfield Foods, Cintas, etc.). The collection of wastewater from that service takes a staff of 19 people to keep in compliance with regulatory agencies, which make attempt to ensure communities are kept safe and clean for the sake of human and environmental health.

Wastewater allowed to go into a receiving water body untreated can promote the growth of algae, which grows and blocks sunlight at the water’s surface, causing the water to have an odor and not support any aquatic life.

Doherty told Council the goal is not to remove all the nutrients in the water, but rather treat the water to levels that nature can handle leading to a diverse and healthy ecology. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state make the determination as to what constitutes a pollutant based on water quality standards and the wastewater treatment plant must stay in compliance with those standards.

The public works director said non-compliance often occurs through mechanical failure or by outside interference. If the non-compliance is the result of a customer, they can be subject to a fine. Otherwise, the city may have to pay a fee.

Currently, the plant has one 150,000-gallon clearwell used for water distribution.

Routine maintenance of the existing clearwell requires two days of analysis, cleaning and disinfecting to bring the clearwell back on line. During maintenance, Doherty said it is difficult to meet the demand for water and provide adequate fire protection in some areas. Another clearwell will act to fill that void.

“A second clearwell will allow for routine maintenance without having any negative effects on the city’s water system,” Doherty stated.

City officials said the clearwell addition is the first phase of a plan to expand the water plant. Once the entire project is complete, the city’s water system will be able to provide six million gallons of water a day, doubling the system’s current capacity of three.

The project will act to alleviate some hiccups in an already complicated treatment process.

In July, Doherty gave a presentation to the City Council about wastewater collection and treatment done by the city, detailing the complex process by which wastewater is treated.

All of the wastewater comes to the plant through three influent lines, ranging in size from 15 to 30 feet in diameter. The lines are the Cattail Branch (servicing U.S. 701 North, Sampson Regional Medical Center area and Carter Street lift station); Industrial Park/Northern line (servicing U.S. 421 North and the Industrial park); and Dollar Branch (servicing Coharie Country Club, Smithfield Foods and the southern end of the city).

Once the wastewater gets to the treatment plant through one of the three lines, it will be at the plant for approximately 72 hours for process and treatment before returning to the environment.

Doherty said the city’s is a collection and treatment system that boasts over 87 miles of gravity sewer mains, more than 1,500 manholes, 13 sewage lift stations and roughly five miles of sewer force main. The intricacies of that maintenance and treatment framework often go unnoticed by the general public until an issue arises, officials said.

“One of the most technologically advanced and complicated services we provide is the treatment of wastewater,” said city manager John Connet. “This area of our operation is most often out of sight and out of mind until there is a problem.”

With hundreds of thousands of dollars to be poured into it, maybe it won’t anymore.

Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by e-mail at sicrime@myclintonnc.com.