The North Carolina Division of Water Resources (DWR) recently honored the City of Lenoir for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards in 2023.
The DWR’s Public Water Supply Section gave Lenoir the prestigious N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award. The award recognizes outstanding turbidity removal.
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of water. High turbidity water is harder to sanitize, and can allow microbes to grow in water.
“Achieving the turbidity levels necessary for this award requires extra vigilance from our operators and investment from our City leaders,” Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Kevin Matheson said. “Our customers and our community benefits from super safe and clear drinking water.”
The City’s Public Utilities Department runs the water treatment plant. Water plant staff operate the plant 24/7 to provide clean drinking water to City of Lenoir and Town of Hudson customers. The City also sells bulk water to Baton Water Corporation, Caldwell County, and the Town of Sawmills.
Water plant staff can treat up to 12 million gallons of water per day, and the plant can store 13.4 million gallons of water.
The award winners for 2023 are:
- City of Lenoir Water Treatment Plant
- Appalachian State University Water Treatment Plant
- Broad River Water Authority Water Treatment Plant
- Brunswick County Northwest Water Treatment Plant
- Cape Fear Public Utility Authority – Wilmington – Sweeney Water Treatment Plant
- Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility
- Charlotte Water – Lee S. Dukes Water Treatment Plant
- Charlotte Water – Vest Water Treatment Plant
- Chatham County Water Treatment Plant
- City of Asheboro – W.L. Brown Water Treatment Plant
- City of Asheville – Mills River Water Treatment Plant
- City of Asheville – North Fork Water Treatment Plant
- City of Asheville – William DeBruhl Water Treatment Plant
- City of Belmont Water Treatment Plant
- City of Burlington – Ed Thomas Water Treatment Plant
- City of Concord – Coddle Creek Water Treatment Plant
- City of Eden – Robert A. Harris Water Filtration Plant
- City of Goldsboro Water Treatment Plant
- City of Hendersonville Water Treatment Plant
- City of Hickory Water Treatment Plant
- City of High Point – Frank L. Ward Water Treatment Plant
- City of Kannapolis Water Treatment Plant
- City of King Water Treatment Facility
- City of Lincolnton Water Treatment Plant
- City of Marion Water Treatment Plant
- City of Morganton-Catawba River Water Treatment Plant
- City of Mount Airy – F.G. Doggett Water Plant
- City of Mount Airy – S.L. Spencer Water Plant
- City of Mount Holly Water Treatment Plant
- City of Newton Water Treatment Plant
- City of Raleigh – D.E. Benton Water Treatment Plant
- City of Raleigh – E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant
- City of Rockingham Water Treatment Plant
- City of Sanford Water Filtration Facility
- City of Statesville Water Treatment Plant
- City of Thomasville Water Treatment Plant
- City of Waynesville-Allens Creek Water Treatment Plant
- Cleveland County Water
- Davie County Water System – Sparks Road Water Treatment Plant
- Fontana Dam Water Treatment Plant
- Franklin Water Plant
- Glenville Water Treatment Plant
- Greenville Utilities Commission – Charles Horne Water Treatment Plant
- Harnett County Water Treatment Plant
- Harris Nuclear Plant Water System
- Hoffer Water Treatment Plant
- Johnston County Water Treatment Plant (East)
- Johnston County Water Treatment Plant (West)
- Kerr Lake Regional Water System
- Lincoln County Water Treatment Plant
- Maggie Valley Sanitary District Water Treatment Plant
- Martin County Regional Water and Sewer Authority Water Treatment Plant
- Orange Water & Sewer Authority
- Pender County Utilities Surface Water Treatment Plant
- Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority – John F. Kime Water Treatment Plant
- Richmond County Water Treatment Facility
- Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District Water Treatment Plant
- Salisbury-Rowan Water Treatment Plant
- Spruce Pine Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Blowing Rock – Thomas G. McRary Water Plant
- Town of Boone – Ricky L. Miller Water Treatment Facility
- Town of Burnsville Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Carthage Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Dobson Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Granite Falls Water Treatment Facility
- Town of Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Madison Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Mayodan Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Mooresville Water Treatment Plant 2
- Town of Norwood Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Pittsboro Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Robbinsville – Rock Creek Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Southern Pines Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Tarboro Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Weaverville-Ivy River Water Treatment Plant
- Town of Wilkesboro Water Filtration Plant
- Two Rivers Utilities
- Western Carolina University Water Treatment Plant
- Woodfin Water District Treatment Facility