About Us

• In Operation Since 1889
• Service Area: Mecklenburg County
• Estimated Population Served: 1,145,392
• Authorized Positions: 1,106
• AAA Bond Rating with Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor's
• Operating Budget (includes debt service, PAYGO transfer): $575,928,742
• Water Community Investment Plan (includes PAYGO transfers): $99,989,587
• Wastewater Community Investment Plan (includes PAYGO transfers): $339,446,312
• 26 gallons of water costs $1

• FY23 Average Daily Pumped: 116.18 MG
• FY23 Highest Daily Pumped: 148.73 MG (12/26/2022)
• FY23 Lowest Daily Pumped: 94.53 MG (4/8/2023)
• All-Time Highest Pumped 169.2 (8/20/07)
• Water treatment plants
  • Franklin: 181 MGD capacity; 90.27 MGD average
  • Vest: 24 MGD capacity; 5.74 MGD average (only online May – June 2023)
  • Dukes: 25 MGD capacity; 20.14 MGD average
  • Total water treatment capacity: 230 MGD

*numbers in million gallons per day (MGD)

• Raw water intakes: 2
• Reservoir storage: 2 - 500 MG capacity

• Average wastewater treated daily: 85 MG
• Total FY23 wastewater treated: 31BG
• Wastewater Treatment Plants
  • Sugar Creek 20 MGD capacity; 14.8 MGD average
  • Irwin Creek 15 MGD capacity; 13.7 MGD average
  • McAlpine Creek 64 MGD capacity; 40.7 MGD average
  • Mallard Creek 12 MGD capacity; 10.1 MGD average
  • McDowell Creek 12 MGD capacity; 5.7 MGD average
  • Ashe Plantation 0.1 capacity; 0.0435 MGD average
  • Total plant capacity: 123.1 MGD
• Food Service Establishments Grease Traps Inspected: 4,104
• Industries Regulated for Wastewater Discharges: 55

• Active total water service connections: 318,067
• Active wastewater service connections: 287,499
• Active residential water service connections (includes multi-family): 280,680
• Active commercial water service connections (includes industrial, nonprofit, institution, government, health): 14,852
• Active irrigation meters: 17,236

• Total overflows in FY23: 122 (FY22: 161)
• SSO by grease: 33
• SSO by debris in line: 29
• SSO by roots: 24
• SSO by pipe failure: 18
• SSO by severe natural condition: 1
• Average spill response time: 32 minutes
• Spills per 100 miles of pipe: 2.6

• Water pipes rehabilitated or replaced: 24,870 LF or 4.7 miles
• Water leaks repaired: 3,874
• Wastewater pipes rehabilitated or replaced: 44,362 LF (8.4 miles)
• Wastewater pipes cleaned (includes contractors): 922.5 miles
• Wastewater pipes treated with root control chemicals: 312 miles
• Manholes replaced or repaired: 2,240

• Water mains maintained: 4,570 miles
• Hydrants maintained: 18,
• Treated water storage & booster pumping stations: 17
• Wastewater mains maintained: 4,562 miles
• Wastewater lift stations: 78

• Notices of drinking water quality violations: 0
• Notices of collection system violations: 5 (Note: This total is subject to change; does not include May & June data)
• Notices of wastewater treatment plant violations: 2
• Partially treated discharges events: 0

• 2020 Annual Report(PDF, 33MB)
• 2020 Annual Report (Text Only)(PDF, 450KB)
• FY24 At A Glance(PDF, 859KB)
• FY24 At A Glance (Text Only)(PDF, 193KB)

• Charlotte Water Full Strategic Plan(PDF, 3MB)

Charlotte Water oversees hundreds of -- and more than $100 million worth of -- water and sewer improvement projects each year. 

The five-year Capital Investment Plan(PDF, 686KB) is the process through which Charlotte Water is able to identify and prioritize the many projects needed. The program is updated each year to include projects that will be needed within the next five years. Every other year, a 10-year needs plan is completed.

FY24-28 CIP Map(PDF, 1017KB)

Public Meeting July 2023

Public Meeting Slides(PDF, 3MB) 

Management and operation of Charlotte Water’s facilities can have a significant impact on meeting the goals of the City of Charlotte Strategic Energy Action Plan. Highlights of Charlotte Water's activities(PDF, 238KB) include recovering resources from our wastewater treatment plants, workforce development within our community, fleet utilization and building management.