2024 - Q1 Report - SOC WQ S19-007

January 20, 2024
Mr. Andrew Pitner
Assistant Regional Supervisor, Mooresville
NCDEQ— Division of Water Resources
610 E Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 281115
Re: Quarterly Report — First Quarter 2024
SOC WQ S19-007
Dear Mr. Pitner:
On behalf of Albemarle, please accept this as a Quarterly Report for the subject Special Order by Consent.
Below is a brief update on the SOC and associated projects.
Project CS370522-07 is the Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation project that is replacing the last of the major
outfalls in the city (24" and 18") and other 12" and 8" segments that are known problem areas. The Notice
to Proceed for the project was in July 2023 and significant progress has been made to date. The January
2024 schedule submitted by the contractor indicated a mid -May 2024 completion date.
Project CS370522-08 is a comprehensive rehabilitation project at the wastewater treatment plant
primarily centered around transitioning the aeration process from floating aerators to fine bubble diffused
aeration. Design for this project is progressing, with all major process equipment sized and the electrical
design began in late 2023.
Albemarle received additional funding from the Spring 2023 funding cycle to be used at the wastewater
treatment plant and the City is considering the best way to use the funding. Projects being considered
are:
• Converting the disinfection system to liquid bleach away from gas chlorine
• Replacing multiple screw pumps at the two influent pump stations that are approaching the end
of their useful life
• Constructing a sludge dewatering facility to manage the wastewater sludge
• Upgrades to the operations building and lab
• Demolition of several old treatment units that have been out of service for decades
Before the second quarterly report of 2024 the City is expecting to decide on which of the above upgrades
will be included in the additional funding, and planning and design will begin on the additional upgrades.
A known contributor to non -compliant events at the wastewater treatment plant is the alum sludge flow
stream from the US52 Water Treatment Plant. The City applied for funding in the Fall 2023 cycle to
construct a dewatering facility at the US52 WTP to remove the alum sludge from the sanitary sewer. The
project does not score well in the DWI funding program, and barring changes to the allocation of funds, it
is not expected the project will receive funding. The announcement of funded projects by NCDWI is
LKC Engineering, PLLC, 140 Aqua Shed Court, Aberdeen, North Carolina 28315
PH: 910/420-1437 * FAX: [phone] * License No. P-1095

expected in February 2024, and Albemarle is considering other funding sources and other solutions to
solve this problem.
If you have any questions, or if we may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone
at [phone] or by email at [e-mail].
Very Best,
Adam P. Kiker, P.E.