Construction on the new Rowan County Water Treatment Plant is about halfway done. Work began in February 2022 and officials said its projected to be done in late fall 2024. The new plant is expected to increase output from 8 million gallons per day to 12 million.
Morehead Utility Plant Board General Manager Holly McGrath-Rosas said expanding water treatment capacity won’t just affect those living in Rowan County, but also those in neighboring communities.
“We have a regional water treatment plant where our water actually touches eight surrounding counties. That’s why it’s such a significant big deal about us getting an upgrade, because the water that we make here touches eight counties,” said McGrath-Rosas
Water testing goes alongside treatment, and McGrath-Rosas said a testing lab next to the new treatment plant will also benefit surrounding counties.
“In all those eight counties there’s lots of utilities that have to get all their samples out, sometimes people capitalize on the fact that you know you can’t do things locally, so we’re hoping that it would help a lot of people out if we could just, get certified and start doing a little more locally,” said McGrath-Rosas.
MUPB officials recently gave Morehead City Council an update on the new water testing laboratory next to the new water treatment plant. McGrath-Rosas said state certification of the lab is expected to come in January, 2024.