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Moore County Schools says New Century lift‑station repairs expected by early next year after months of temporary pumps
Summary
District staff told a Nov. 20 joint meeting that vibration problems at the New Century Middle School lift station required multiple contractor fixes and temporary pumps; two repaired pumps were expected back within weeks and a full fix "by the first of the year," while neighbors reported high noise levels from rental diesel units.
Moore County Schools officials updated the Town of Carthage and the county board on persistent problems at the New Century Middle School lift station and the district’s plan to complete a contractor warranty repair.
Assistant Superintendent Miss Purvis said the lift‑station work was performed using ESSER funds. The pumps and platform installed by the contractor began showing vibration problems in late 2023; initial fixes (restraint rods and a new mounting platform) failed. Purvis said the contractor (Smith and Loveless, per presentation) removed two of four pumps for bearing repairs; those two pumps "should be reinstalled within the next two weeks," and the district’s engineering firm estimated a full repair would be completed "by the first of the year." Purvis stressed the district has kept the temporary pumps in place to maintain water and sewer service at New Century and Union Pines, saying the temporary units are necessary to keep schools operational while warranty work proceeds.
District staff acknowledged the temporary pumps have produced noise and short‑cycling incidents. Purvis said the temporary pumps run on five‑ and 15‑minute intervals as needed and noted two short‑cycling events required maintenance responses. Neighbors and one independent reading shared with officials reported average sound levels near 87 decibels with peaks up to 96 decibels; town officials suggested switching to enclosed rental generator/pump units that are designed to be quieter and discussed other mitigations. Purvis said enclosing or building permanent sound walls would be expensive and that, because a permanent fix is expected under warranty, the district is prioritizing the contractor repair rather than paying for a permanent mitigation now.
District representatives also explained why their maintenance team has not modified the equipment: doing so could void the contractor warranty and potentially shift repair costs to the district. The schools’ operations team is logging pump run times daily to detect short cycling and has been coordinating maintenance calls to address immediate issues.
No vote was taken; staff asked the town and county to continue discussions about possible cost‑sharing or maintenance agreements for lift stations and utility extensions when new school sites are considered.
