CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Tuesday, September 16, Charlotte Water and the City of Mount Holly officially commissioned the new Mount Holly Pump Station during a ceremony held at Tuckaseege Park. The event marked the start of wastewater flow through newly constructed underground pipelines located beneath the Catawba River, which connect Mount Holly’s wastewater system to Charlotte Water’s regional wastewater collection and treatment network.
Event speakers included Angela Charles, director of Charlotte Water, David Moore, mayor of Mount Holly and Jonathan Blanton, Mount Holly city manager. The ceremony celebrated the regional partnership that will protect water quality, support the Catawba River and enhance surrounding natural resources. Local, regional and state leaders attended to mark this milestone in the Stowe Project.
“This is a proud moment for Charlotte Water and the City of Mount Holly,” Charles said. “The Stowe Project shows what’s possible when communities come together with a shared vision. By working across city and county lines, we are building infrastructure that not only serves our residents more efficiently but also safeguards the Catawba River and prepares our region for the future.”
The new Mount Holly Pump Station, which replaces the former Mount Holly Wastewater Treatment Plant on the same site at Tuckaseege Park, will send approximately 2 to 3 million gallons of wastewater per day through pipelines installed 65 to 75 feet beneath the Catawba River and Long Creek. Using a construction method known as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), crews tunneled through bedrock to install pressurized pipelines, which will minimize environmental impacts while ensuring safe, long-term reliability. More detailed information about the HDD process can be found here.
“The commissioning of the Mount Holly Pump Station is a historic milestone for our city,” Moore said. “This connection reflects years of planning, collaboration and forward thinking. Our residents will benefit from reliable service, stronger environmental protection and new opportunities for growth, which were all made possible by this regional partnership.”
Wastewater from Mount Holly will now travel to the Long Creek Pump Station before being conveyed to the future Stowe Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility (RWRRF), which is scheduled to begin operation in 2027.
The former City of Mount Holly Wastewater Treatment Plant is in the process of being decommissioned. Once the decommissioning has been completed, Mount Holly city officials will evaluate future uses for the land. While Charlotte Water will now manage all of the City of Mount Holly’s wastewater treatment at Stowe RWRRF, the City of Mount Holly Utilities Department will continue overseeing billing and customer support for local utility customers.
“This project demonstrates the power of regional cooperation and its impact on both our community and our environment,” Blanton said. “By joining forces with Charlotte Water, we’re ensuring sustainable wastewater service while protecting the Catawba. It’s an investment in the quality of life of generations to come.”
The Stowe RWRRF project is funded through Charlotte Water’s Revenue Bonds, with an estimated total cost of $650 million. The City of Mount Holly contributed $40 million toward the construction of the new pump station. Once Stowe RWRRF is fully operational, wastewater from Mount Holly, Belmont and northwestern Mecklenburg County will be treated at one location using advanced technology that supports higher water quality standards, reduces the number of discharge points into the Catawba River from two to one, and enhances the region’s long-term environmental resilience.
