Newton accepts major state funding for wastewater plant replacement and approves emergency cleaning budget

Newton’s City Council unanimously adopted a resolution accepting state-directed funds to aid replacement of the Clark Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and approved a separate, smaller budget amendment for immediate cleaning work at the plant.

Finance Director Kim Robinson told council that the state legislature provided $33,750,000 through the North Carolina Clean Water Revolving Fund to assist with the plant replacement. She also said the city received a Directed Projects grant of $11,640,000 from the 2023 Appropriations Act (Session Law 2023-134) administered through the Drinking Water Reserve and Wastewater Reserve; staff recommended accepting those funds and amending the capital project ordinance to appropriate revenues and expenses for the replacement project.

Utilities Director Dusty Wentz separately requested a limited budget amendment of $41,600 to pay for wetwell cleaning and, if necessary, a gravity-pipe cleaning between the lime/grit building and primary clarifiers. Wentz said a vendor’s quote for gravity-pipe cleaning was $5,400 per day and estimated seven days of work ($37,800) plus a 10% contingency; staff will proceed to full cleaning only if plant performance does not improve after the wetwell cleaning scheduled to begin April 22.

Council approved the DEQ-related resolution for the plant replacement and adopted the budget amendment for the cleaning work. Staff said the larger plant replacement project will proceed through capital project accounting and grant administration.