Wastewater staff outline CSO response, equipment replacements and manhole lining plan
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Summary
Wastewater officials presented a slightly lower 2026 wastewater budget and outlined projects tied to a combined-sewer overflow (CSO) agreed order, including a cloth-disc filter/UV treatment approach, replacement pumps and a $600,000 Vactor truck and $100,000 manhole lining program.
Wastewater staff on Aug. 19 presented the wastewater budget and several capital items tied to ongoing system compliance and maintenance needs, including work intended to address combined-sewer overflow (CSO) requirements under an agreed order.
Brad, the wastewater presenter, said the proposed 2026 wastewater budget is $8,600,000, a 1.4% reduction from the prior year that reflects chemical-cost savings from an energy/efficiency project. He said the town has an agreed order related to CSO overflows and described the planned treatment approach: adding a cloth-disc filter and UV to treat overflow flows so the discharges are treated before release.
CSO context: Brad said the town experienced two CSO events in April during heavy rain (about 9 million gallons noted for the event) and that the proposed CSO-related project would not entirely eliminate overflows but would enable treatment of overflow volumes to remove total suspended solids, E. coli and ammonia prior to discharge. He and other staff said estimated CSO project costs have grown; prior analyses cited $10–18 million ranges and staff suggested current planning figures could be higher.
Other capital and maintenance items: - Vactor truck replacement: $600,000 budgeted for a specialized truck used to clean sewer lines; current unit is approaching 20 years old. - Chapel Hill lift-station pumps: $150,000 for new pumps (staff said pumps are aging and will be reusable in a future full replacement project). - Manhole lining: $100,000 budgeted to line roughly 25 manholes in Old Speedway; manhole lining reduces groundwater infiltration and helps reduce flows that drive CSO events.
Rates and funding: Brad and other staff said the sewer fund will likely require a rate study and that any large CSO construction program will require additional planning and rate discussions. Staff said timing to finalize plans is expected in the fall and council-level discussions about sewer-rate increases would follow.
