County contribution will help Wolfspeed water line proceed

ASHEBORO — Asheboro’s water resources director Michael Rhoney delivered updates on the water line construction to Project Wolfspeed, sewage smells and next steps for an emerging contaminants study at the wastewater treatment plant.

A verbal promise with Randolph County for more funding to the Wolfspeed manufacturing project incentivized city council members to conditionally approve more construction at their Feb. 5 meeting.

Wolfspeed budget goes up

Rhoney presented the next budget amendment for the water line to deliver Asheboro’s water to the Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) site. He explained how the project grew in scope and cost beyond what the state has provided.

Amendment 5 came in at $15,232,778.21. This will go toward materials and construction of Section 1 along Presnell Street. It raises the overall project cost to $71,447,202. 

Rhoney said, “We were granted $55 million by the state to do this project, in that the state was providing construction funds for about 12 miles of water line. This project is 16 miles of water line. So, we are definitely underfunded.”

He said Randolph County commissioners agreed the water line would be beneficial to them. Asheboro will ask them to cover the $16,447,202.20 shortfall.

Since no agreement has been finalized, Mayor Joseph Trogdon, Jr. asked how to proceed with the budget amendment vote in front of them that night. City Attorney Jeff Sugg said they could approve it on the condition that they formally secure funding later. The city council unanimously agreed.

Eastside sewer repairs

Rhoney said city staff completed repairs to sewer lines in the Eastside community. In November, the city council asked him to investigate because neighbors complained of a sewage odor seeping into homes on Cedar Falls Road, Glovinia Street, Spring Street, Woodlawn Street, and Loach Street.

He said smoke tests on Nov. 18 and 19 identified 40 sewer cleanouts and services needing repair and four manholes that weren’t fully sealing.

He further explained how the city uses calcium nitrate to diffuse hydrogen sulfide (H2S), the source of a sewer’s rotten egg smell. On average, the H2S levels around the nearby Lift Station 2 were low, but it showed some high spikes. Water and sewer staff increased their calcium nitrate feed rate from 100 parts per minute (ppm) to 170. Since then, Rhoney said the spikes have gone down.

“The spikes pretty much run with when our pump runs at Lift Station 2,” he said. “The odor is pretty much controlled until the pump comes on, and the odor increases.”

He said H2S tends to increase in hot weather, so they might have to raise the feed even higher this summer.

“We see we’re under the average, and we think we’re okay,” he said. “We see the spikes, but we don’t know how bad they are. So, when you complain about the spikes, I’m going to look at it.”

PFAS study

Council members agreed to accept federal grant terms for a study of emerging contaminants at the wastewater treatment plant.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act set aside more than $50 billion intended for water, drinking water, and wastewater improvements. Municipalities can apply for the grants to study contaminants like the chemical known as PFAS.

Last year, Asheboro hired HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas to handle the study. Rhoney said the Department of Environmental Quality approved the scope of work on Jan. 9. Once the council voted to accept funding and its terms, they can request federal reimbursements for the project.