You flip the light switch. You turn on the faucet. You flush the toilet. You probably don’t think about what it takes to get the electricity and water to you, or what’s required to make that wastewater to go away. But Joe Albright and the 181 employees of Public Utilities think about it every day.
“We take those things for granted because they are so invisible and automatic,” Albright says. “Most people only think about water, sewer and electric when they don’t work. We know we’re doing our jobs well when the customer isn’t thinking about us. Making those things automatic is the key.”
Public Utilities has four divisions that make those essential services automatic:
- Electric
- Wastewater (sanitary sewer)
- Water
- Utilities maintenance
The Water, Wastewater and Maintenance divisions are marketed as Two Rivers Utilities because they also serve about a half-dozen communities outside of Gastonia. TRU provides water and sewer service to about 30,000 homes and businesses. Gastonia’s Electric division serves 28,000.
A reorganization of City departments in May 2018 led the City to combine Electric with Water and Wastewater, creating Public Utilities as it is today with Albright as the director. Public Utilities shares some administrative staff with Public Works at its home base: the Municipal Operations Center on Broad Street. Public Utilities has three wastewater treatment plants, one water treatment plant, and numerous electric substations, sewer pump stations and water tanks.
With a total budget of $120 million, Public Utilities has the City’s biggest budget. And it is second only to Police in the number of employees. The department is 100% fee funded with revenue from water, sewer and electric customers based on use.
Later this summer, the City is scheduled to celebrate the opening of the new water treatment plant. At $65 million, it is the most expensive capital project in City history. It took five years to overhaul and upgrade the 97-year old plant, which now features a high-tech membrane filtration system. Gastonia’s is the first water treatment plant in North Carolina to use the membrane system in a one-step process of turning lake water into drinking water. The City’s water plant may become a model for other communities across the state or even the nation.
“What’s different about the water is the quality of the finished product,” Albright says of the new filtration system. “The water we are currently producing is very good water. It meets all of the requirements hands down. What we have is good until you see the quality of drinking water treated by the new system. The difference, scientifically, from a quality standpoint, is night and day.”
The current treatment process uses chemicals to make the water safe to drink. By comparison, the membranes act like filters to remove impurities, even microscopic ones. Albright says water treated with the membrane system looks the same and tastes the same. It takes a microscope to see the difference. “It’s cutting-edge technology,” Albright says of the membrane system. “We have safe, high-quality water now and soon, the quality will be even better.”
Most of the renovations at the water plant on Long Avenue are on the inside, from the membranes themselves to the testing labs and employee offices. The public can see the large, white concrete dome that covers the new 4-million gallon clearwell, which provides water storage and retention.
The water plant’s extensive renovation is the third in a series of major upgrades in Public Utilities’ facilities that provide “invisible and automatic” services. Last September, the City flipped the switch on a $3.5 million substation at the Gastonia Technology Park, providing an additional 40 megawatts of electricity to the park and enabling a future expansion. And Two Rivers Utilities is wrapping up construction on the South Fork Phase II sewer project. The $6 million effort replaces aging sewage infrastructure in McAdenville. Wastewater from the town’s residents and Pharr Yarns will be sent to TRU’s Long Creek Plant, the region’s most advanced treatment plant, benefitting the area’s economy and environment.
“For businesses, what we strive to provide is reliability,” Albright says of his department. “That’s a core tenet, especially on the Electric side. On the water and sewer side, we consistently provide volume and quality.” He notes that industrial and commercial clients depend on water, sewer and electric services that meet their needs. And revenue from those big customers helps keep rates lower for residential customers.
Public Utilities faces some challenges, including the capital costs associated with both aging infrastructure and population growth. Renovating or building new plants and substations is a more visible type of capital project. In addition, old or undersized water and sewer lines need to be maintained or replaced. Outmoded technology and parts need to be updated. Often, capital expenses are funded, at least in part, by Gastonia’s new homes and businesses. “Growth is easier because you can see it coming,” Albright says. “A reactive approach to maintenance issues is not good service. It’s messy and disruptive.”
Customer service is important to Albright and his department’s employees. “I’ve been in local government for 25 years,” he says. “In all of the jurisdictions I’ve worked in, there is none that has been focused on customer service like the City of Gastonia. Not even close.”
Public Utilities also works closely with other departments, such as Public Works’ Stormwater and Buildings & Grounds divisions. Although many Public Utilities employees are highly specialized, Electric crews bring their bucket trucks to hang Christmas decorations and banners on light poles Downtown. “Whether it’s the employee who’s the customer or the citizens who are the customers, we provide great, reliable customer service,” Albright says. “I think it’s just the City of Gastonia.”
