Xylem wins $1.5m contract to retrofit pumps for North Carolina wastewater plant

Water technology company Xylem has won a $1.5 million (€1.39m) contract to provide new pumps for use at a wastewater treatment plant in North Carolina, US.

Xylem’s Flygt NP-3400 submersible pumps will be used to replace aging pumps at the central influent pump station of McAlpine Creek wastewater treatment plant in Pineville.

The retrofit of ten new pumps will provide the plant with a longer operating life and help reduce overall maintenance costs at the facility.

Aging infrastructure has become a pressing issue in the US, as historically an emphasis had been placed on the expansion of water and wastewater systems, rather than the maintenance and repair of those already in existence.

As a result, communities are faced with the massive challenge of replacing critical water and wastewater infrastructure and many systems are nearing the end of their useful life.

Shifting population growth has also placed considerable strain on water and wastewater systems which today serve more than 238 million Americans, or 76% of the population.

Significant growth brings with it an increase in the quantity of wastewater, stressing the need for water systems to be upgraded in order to support demand.

“A successful pilot of our pumps over a two-year period has allowed us to demonstrate how Xylem can significantly improve the reliability of infrastructure at the McAlpine plant. We are working closely with Charlotte Water to build a more resilient and cost-effective pumping system for this important wastewater treatment plant,” Jim Prince, sales representative at Xylem, said.

“Charlotte Water oversees more than $200 million worth of water improvement projects each year across its five wastewater treatment plants. Through this continued investment, Charlotte Water is committed to safeguarding the future of their water supply by reducing the impact of aging infrastructure on local water and wastewater systems.”

The McAlpine Creek wastewater treatment plant is the largest of Charlotte Water’s five treatment plants, serving the City of Charlotte and the surrounding area of Mecklenburg County in North Carolina.

In total, the plants collect wastewater from approximately 246,299 households and businesses throughout the county and treat over 85 million gallons of wastewater per day.

The retrofit of the McAlpine plant will be completed in phases and the project will be delivered by late 2017.