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Fuquay Varina adopts wastewater asset management plan to guide long‑term sewer upgrades
Summary
Town board unanimously adopted a data‑driven wastewater asset management and master plan that prioritizes replacing aging sewer lines and consolidating pump stations, using a $400,000 ARP‑funded study by Withers Ravenel.
The Fuquay Varina Town Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a wastewater asset management plan after an 18‑month examination of the town’s sewer system funded by an American Rescue Plan grant.
The plan, presented by Public Utilities Director Mike Wagner and consultant Nina Garraway of Withers Ravenel, maps current assets, models flows under future growth scenarios and ranks capital projects by risk and timing. Garraway said the study combined an asset inventory and master plan and that the town received a $400,000 grant to complete the work.
The plan’s key findings include that about 4.6–5% of gravity sewer assets are in poor condition, more than 10 miles of gravity pipe are identified for strategic attention, and “5 of your now 30 plus lift stations have exceeded their life expectancy,” Garraway told the board. The study also documented rainfall‑derived infiltration and inflow (RDII) that uses sewer capacity during storms and recommended longer‑range monitoring, more CCTV inspection, smoke testing and targeted flow metering.
Among the highest near‑term capital recommendations are decommissioning an existing Bridal Forest wastewater treatment facility, constructing a regional interceptor along Middle Creek, and replacing a cluster of small, undersized pump stations with a single, modern regional pump station to improve hydraulics and reduce operating costs. Garraway said an optimized long‑range design could reduce the number of pump stations from more than 30 to about seven in a 50‑year buildout scenario.
Town staff framed the plan as a tool to guide decisions as development increases. Wagner and Garraway emphasized that the plan is not a one‑time report: it requires continuous updates to the model and asset records so future development requests can be placed into a coordinated long‑term capital improvement plan.
Commissioners questioned financing and timing. One board member noted converting septic systems to sewer service requires annexation and owner willingness, and another warned the total program could exceed available local funds and take decades to implement. Mayor Massingale said the study shows long‑term needs but acknowledged the town will need to balance upgrades with ratepayer tolerance and development revenue.
The board adopted a resolution approving the wastewater asset management plan as presented and recommended.
