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TWSA to embark on $10 million plan
Authority urges 'cooperation, commitment' from local governments
By Rose Hooper
Municipal and governmental units that don't include water and sewer officials in planning new projects jeopardize the county's economic development, according to Mickey Luker, Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority chairman.
"TWSA needs to be included on the front end of water and wastewater projects and not as an afterthought," Luker said during the authority's March 16 meeting.
He cited several large projects, such as the jail, where the authority only learned of the water and sewer demands after completion.
"Our capacities are so limited now we just can't operate after the fact," he said.
Capacities are so limited that a three-month moratorium on any new hookups exceeding 500 gallons per day was enacted last year. When the moratorium was lifted in July, large users coming onto the system were required to apply for allocation before beginning their projects.
Also limited are the financial constraints on the authority, which doesn't have the ability to levy taxes, Luker said.
TWSA operates on a very stringent capital budget and the burden for expansion expenses shouldn't rest with the rate payers alone, he said.
If units of government plan expansion, they should also plan financial commitments. All of the citizens of Jackson County, not just TWSA customers, benefit from TWSA's ability to protect the public health and have water and wastewater services available for economic development, Luker said in an impassioned speech that drew applause from the director and board members.
Upon his advice, the board passed a resolution calling for "thoughtful cooperation and commitment by all units of local government in Jackson County to the success of the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority."
So those units of government will know where TWSA stands as far as financial commitments and expansion, the authority outlined its five-year capital projects plan in the resolution.
Estimated costs of the improvements exceed $10.5 million.
"Without these funds the ability of TWSA to guarantee the availability of water and wastewater capacities for the provision of safe drinking water and sanitary disposal of wastewater will jeopardize public health and hamper economic development," the resolution states.
TWSA will consider any request for participation in system expansion from units of government, Luker said.
However, the TWSA board must act as the conscience for their customers who pay the lion's share of expenses, he said, stressing customers can't bear the brunt of expansion on their backs alone.
TWSA's capital projects outlined in the resolution are:
p Installation of 23,000 feet of 12-inch water transmission main from Cullowhee to Sylva town limits designed to enable the water distribution system to meet peak demands in the Sylva/Dillsboro service area and maximize the remaining capacity of the treatment plant.
p Construct a new laboratory, office and chemical storage area for the water treatment plant, as requested by the Public Water Supply Branch of the N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.
p Build a new 500,000 gallon water storage tank in Sylva, as required by Public Water Supply to meet minimum potable water storage requirements, and a 500,000 gallon clear well.
p Add an additional 100,000 gallons per day to the Cashiers wastewater treatment plant, with treatment components to include new air supply effluent pumps, wastewater clarifiers, sand filters and an office/lab building.
p Construct a flow equalization basin at the wastewater treatment plant on Scotts Creek.
p Construct new screening facilities for raw wastewater coming into the wastewater treatment plant on the Tuckaseigee River, and build two new wastewater clarifiers.
p Rehabilitate 4,000 feet of 24-inch wastewater collection line along the Tuckaseigee River and relay approximately 1,400 feet of wastewater collection line in downtown Sylva and along Scotts Creek.
p Renovate the Jackson Paper Pump Station, to enable it to deliver wastewater to both the Scotts Creek and Tuckaseigee River treatment plants.
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