Wastewater: forgotten yet essential! OWASA meets or exceeds wastewater regulations

From July 2018 to June 2019, OWASA treated about 3 billion gallons of wastewater for the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community! We’re pleased to share that we met or surpassed all Federal and State standards as highlighted in our annual Wastewater Report Card.

350 miles of underground pipes, nearly 11,000 manholes, system monitoring and wastewater treatment and clarification: the Report Card is a snapshot of OWASA’s wastewater treatment process. We work 24/7 to collect, treat and clean the community’s wastewater, and recycle (or reclaim) it where we can. What we can’t reclaim, we return to Morgan Creek. The water that we return to the Creek, which eventually flows into Jordan Lake, has gone through a comprehensive treatment process so it is safe for the environment and for communities to access downstream.

The Wastewater Report Card also includes tips on how community members can help protect the wastewater system. Remember: “flushable wipes” aren’t actually flushable. They, and other culprits like dental floss, sometimes block our pipes. Last year, OWASA experienced three wastewater overflow events: due to a pipe blockage, pipe failure and high flows during Hurricane Florence.

The Report Card will be mailed to all OWASA account holders this month and is available for viewing on www.owasa.org. Community members can also request a printed copy by contacting 919-968-4421 or info@owasa.org.