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Anson County commissioners press utilities staff for plan after report of millions in annual water loss
Summary
Commissioners pressed utility directors for a concrete plan after staff reported roughly 220 million gallons treated, 86 million billed and roughly 134 million gallons unaccounted for in a month—equating to an estimated $6–7 million lost annually. Staff said a generator, meter replacements and targeted repairs are priorities.
Anson County commissioners pressed utilities leaders on June 16 after staff presented figures showing large, recurring water loss and several near-term steps to reduce it.
At the meeting, the chair said the county treated about 220 million gallons of water in the prior month but billed only about 86 million gallons, leaving roughly 134 million gallons unaccounted for. After allowing for an industry-accepted loss rate of about 15 percent, staff and commissioners said the remaining shortfall could equal roughly $6–7 million a year in treated but unbilled water.
The utilities presentation, led by utilities staff (presented to the board as Mike Sessions and Chris Harrington), traced the problem to old distribution lines, failing valves and aging meters. Staff said a 12-inch transmission line in the Burnsville area dates to the 1960s and that long-standing underinvestment has left the system vulnerable to surges, blowouts and inaccurate metering.
"We just need the money to fix this stuff," the utilities presenter said, describing years of deferred capital work and saying that filters 6 and 8 are close to coming online and that filter 7 will proceed soon. He said the county has pursued grants but that eligibility often depends on having an adequate rate structure and shovel-ready projects.
Commissioners focused on three near-term options staff recommended: obtain competitive quotes and, if feasible, buy a standby generator for ground storage so the plant can be shut down safely when tanks are full; calibrate and, where necessary, replace meters; and investigate the pressure-reduction apparatus on the aging 12-inch line.
Staff reported receiving a local quote that afternoon of roughly $464,000 for a generator that would provide backup power to ground storage. Utilities staff said the generator would not by itself recapture all lost billed water but would allow the plant to be shut down when ground storage is sufficient, preventing large overflows that contribute to treated-but-unbilled losses.
Commissioners asked for comparative quotes and for a paper plan showing estimated costs and projected savings that could be used for finance and grant planning. "I want to see a plan on how we're going to address losing over $6,000,000 a year in that one department," the chair said.
Staff also reported work on meter replacement: the county has over 5,000 meters with many units past expected life; staff shared preliminary replacement cost estimates and proposed prioritizing larger commercial meters first. Commissioners asked staff to proceed with a formal bidding process and to return estimates of how each measure (generator, valve work, meters or leak-detection/calibration) would reduce billed losses.
Next steps recorded in the meeting minutes: staff will obtain at least two additional generator quotes, calibrate ground-storage metering, contact valve specialists (Underwood was suggested), and return to the board with a prioritized plan and cost–benefit estimates. The board also signaled broad support for raising rates over time to match service quality and capital needs if the plan justifies it.
The board recessed with instructions for utilities staff to coordinate those follow-ups and provide written estimates for the next meeting.
