Rutherfordton begins $5.65M sewer upgrades, urges residents to stop flushing wipes

State and federal grants cover about 86% of the project budget, which includes treatment plant improvements, a replacement pump station, and service for St. Gabriel’s Church.

Rutherfordton is beginning a $5.65 million wastewater improvement program to replace aging equipment and expand sewer service while asking residents to help prevent blockages by keeping wipes out of their toilets.

Crews are mobilizing at the town’s wastewater treatment plant, and work has begun on the St. Gabriel’s sewer project, according to a Sept. 29 town news release.

Construction at the John Smith Road Pump Station is expected to follow in the coming weeks as materials arrive.

The improvements come roughly 20 years after major components at the treatment plant were last upgraded. Town officials said the work is intended to support reliable service and environmental protection for the next two decades.

An April 2025 engineering report prepared by WithersRavenel identified aging treatment equipment, reliability concerns at the John Smith Road Pump Station and a failing septic system at St. Gabriel’s Church.

The approved project budget totals $5,653,911.12. State and federal grants provide $4,888,550, or about 86% of that amount. The town will contribute approximately $765,361 from Sewer Fund money reserved over several years.

The funding includes $3,575,550 from a state legislative earmark administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and $1,313,000 in federal Community Project Funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service.

The state award originated in 2023 budget legislation, while the federal funding was identified in the 2024 congressional appropriations act, according to the town.

“We want to thank our state and federal delegations for listening to Rutherfordton’s needs over the years and helping us secure these funds,” Mayor Jimmy Dancy said. “Their partnership is helping us protect our waterways and provide reliable sewer service while reducing the cost our local customers have to shoulder.”

Town Manager Doug Barrick said Rutherfordton had prepared for its share of the expense.

“We have saved for the Town’s share over several years so we could be ready when these projects moved into construction,” Barrick said. “Combining those savings with outside funding helps us replace essential equipment without placing the full cost on local sewer customers.”

The budget includes about $4.54 million for construction, $886,200 for engineering and $227,034 in contingency funding.

Harper General Contractors is handling both phases of the treatment plant work. The first phase has an approved construction amount of approximately $2.67 million and includes pumps, motors, basin liners and controls.

The second phase, approved at approximately $1.06 million, includes a new grit removal system, piping, electrical work and improvements to instrumentation and controls.

At the plant’s first stage of treatment, screens remove wipes, rags and other trash before they reach equipment farther inside the facility. Grit removal captures sand and other abrasive material that can damage machinery and accumulate in treatment basins.

The plant treats domestic and industrial wastewater before discharging treated water into Cleghorn Creek in the Broad River Basin.

Cooper Construction’s approved amount for replacing the John Smith Road Pump Station is $495,703. The existing station will remain in service until wastewater flow can be transferred to its replacement.

Double R Utilities’ approved amount for the St. Gabriel’s sewer extension and pump station project is $310,748.26. That work will bring municipal sewer service to a historically unserved area, including St. Gabriel’s Church.

The town said the connection will address the church’s failing septic system and support its expanding community outreach, including the Jericho Road Soup Kitchen.

The pump station work includes backup generators, upgraded remote monitoring and controls, and locations outside flood-prone areas.

As construction proceeds, town crews continue cleaning and flushing sewer lines. Disposable wipes remain a recurring problem, including products labeled “flushable,” officials said.

Wipes can remain intact after flushing, snag inside sewer lines and wrap around pumps. When combined with grease and other debris, they can create blockages that cause backups, damage equipment and contribute to sewage spills. Those blockages can develop before wastewater reaches the treatment plant.

“Our crews are out cleaning lines, flushing the system and removing material that can damage equipment,” Public Works Director Cory Hall said. “This is hard, messy work, and I appreciate the effort they put into keeping our service dependable. We need everyone’s help by putting wipes in the trash, including products labeled flushable.”

Rutherfordton is asking residents and businesses to flush only human waste and toilet paper. Baby wipes, cleaning wipes, personal wipes and products labeled “flushable” should go in the trash.

Town officials said keeping those materials out of sewer lines will reduce avoidable maintenance, protect the new equipment and help safeguard local waterways.