Carroll County PSA hears updates on Exit 1 wastewater, SCADA, lead inventory and line extensions

The Carroll County Public Service Authority heard a series of infrastructure updates during its October meeting, with staff describing progress and outstanding decisions on wastewater, water-line extensions, SCADA installation and lead-service-line work.

Mike (identified in the transcript as the person taking project updates) said the Exit 1 regional wastewater project remains in evaluation because staff have not received a clear yes-or-no from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) about whether the agency will join the project. “Nobody will, can get anybody to either say yes or no, and that's the problem,” Mike said on the record, explaining that uncertainty hampers planning. Staff said they will continue outreach and, if NCDOT declines now, they may pursue an agreement that would allow NCDOT to hook onto the system later only after paying a specified amount.

On the Exit 1 consent-order requirements, Mike said the authority is meeting its obligations but is still waiting for the engineer to provide an RFP for required screens; once the RFP is received staff plan to advertise the solicitation. Mike also reported that SCADA equipment is being installed; staff ran a test last month and plan to follow up with an installation update. He said the goal for some remote sites is to achieve roughly "5 or 6 days" of operation on battery backup and to add generators where needed to maintain service during power outages.

Staff also said they continue to submit water and sewer grant applications and prioritize new connections. The lead-service-line inventory is near completion, Mike said, with "but another week or 2" to finish; staff indicated they might request an extension if necessary. Materials for several line extensions were reported as arriving soon, with work scheduled to start on Deer Ridge once a remaining piece of paperwork is completed.

Board members raised concerns about using undersized mains to save immediate costs. One member argued for installing larger-diameter mains to avoid future trenching, noting insurance and fire-protection consequences of smaller lines; Mike said Virginia Department of Health guidance is trending away from allowing 2-inch services. Mike said Pine Grove’s extension cost was "considerably higher" because a 2-inch line could not be used, and he suggested exploring funding or board investment; the transcript does not include a dollar figure.

Regarding a planned housing development across from a water tank, members said booster pumps would be provided by the development or homeowners, not the authority, because the tank may not provide sufficient pressure for homes uphill. Mike said the authority will resume focus on fire-hydrant issues and other site-specific items once project partner status and contractor availability are confirmed.

The meeting closed the updates portion of new business and moved to members’ time, during which a member asked how many sites lack generators; staff acknowledged both water and sewer sites are of concern but did not provide a numeric inventory on the record.