City Officials Celebrate South Fork Sewer Project to Improve Wastewater Treatment

Mayor Jim Robinette, Mayor Walker Reid, Pharr CEO Bill Carstarphen

Several state and municipal leaders gathered on Sept. 27 to celebrate the completion of the South Fork Sewer Project, a long-awaited construction project that provides improved wastewater treatment for the Town of McAdenville and Pharr. The event marked the dedication of a new sewer pump station and two miles of sewer line.

“This is a momentous occasion for our small town because we know that projects like these take a lot of effort, time, and talent to complete,” said Jim Robinette, mayor of the Town of McAdenville. “We are grateful for the vision and teamwork that helped make this happen for our citizens and businesses.”

The project, an idea that began 12 years ago, creates reliable sewer service for citizens and industry, improved water quality, and economic development opportunities. The $6 million investment in new infrastructure connects the Town of McAdenville and Pharr to wastewater treatment services provided by Two Rivers Utilities (TRU) system in Gastonia.

“We are proud to be a part of this monumental effort,” said Walker E. Reid III, mayor of the City of Gastonia. “The South Fork Sewer Project speaks volumes to the determination and partnership of everyone involved to make this vision a reality.”

The project replaced the two aging sewage treatment plants and constructed a new pump station and more than two miles of new sewer pipes. Wastewater from McAdenville and Pharr will be pumped through new pipes to the City of Gastonia, where it will be treated at TRU’s Long Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, the region’s most advanced treatment plant. Decommissioning of the two outdated wastewater treatment plants is currently underway.

“This project is a great accomplishment for the community, its businesses, and the environment” said Bill Carstarphen, CEO of Pharr. “We are proud to share this achievement with those who call the South Fork area their home.”

Gaston County, the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Department of Commerce, the Golden LEAF Foundation, and the North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure provided funding for the public-private project.