Granite Falls

The Division of Water Resources (DWR) provides the data contained within this Local Water Supply Plan (LWSP) as a courtesy and service to our customers. DWR staff does not field verify data. Neither DWR, nor any other party involved in the preparation of this LWSP attests that the data is completely free of errors and omissions. Furthermore, data users are cautioned that LWSPs labeled PROVISIONAL have yet to be reviewed by DWR staff. Subsequent review may result in significant revision. Questions regarding the accuracy or limitations of usage of this data should be directed to the water system and/or DWR.

1. System Information

Contact Information

Complete

Water System Name: Granite Falls   PWSID: 01-14-030
Mailing Address:PO Drawer 10
Granite Falls, NC 28630		Ownership:Municipality
 
Contact Person:Randy SmithTitle:Water Resources Director
Phone:828-396-2989Cell/Mobile:--
Distribution System
Line Type Size Range (Inches) Estimated % of lines
Asbestos Cement 8-12 8.67 %
Cast Iron 6-12 34.96 %
Ductile Iron 6-12 22.00 %
Galvanized Iron 1-2 2.58 %
Polyvinyl Chloride 2-12 31.79 %
What are the estimated total miles of distribution system lines?   67 Miles
How many feet of distribution lines were replaced during 2024?   100 Feet
How many feet of new water mains were added during 2024?   0 Feet
How many meters were replaced in 2024?   13
How old are the oldest meters in this system?   25 Year(s)
How many meters for outdoor water use, such as irrigation, are not billed for sewer services?   55
What is this system's finished water storage capacity?   2.7500 Million Gallons
Has water pressure been inadequate in any part of the system since last update? Line breaks that were repaired quickly should not be included.   No

System maps are updated as needed to reflect the most current system properties. The overall distribution system pressure has been adequate. Altitude valves at Falls Ave and Pinewood Tanks were replaced in 2022. The Town is completing an awarded AIA Grant for the Water System which will be used to build a new hydrological model for the Town's distribution system. This study will allow us to analyze the effects of current and future projects on our distribution system. The Town is also in the midst a 5 million dollar CDBG Block Grant to improve water infrastructure over the next few years. There is also a DOT project that will be replacing water infrastructure along Pinewood Road that has started.

Programs
Does this system have a program to work or flush hydrants?   Yes, Annually
Does this system have a valve exercise program?   Yes, As Needed
Does this system have a cross-connection program?   Yes
Does this system have a program to replace meters?   Yes
Does this system have a plumbing retrofit program?   No
Does this system have an active water conservation public education program?   Yes
Does this system have a leak detection program?   Yes

We manually read meters monthly. During this process the meter readers check readings for unusual usage. The customer service staff enters the reading manually, and checks again for unusual usage. If unusual usage is detected, the customer service staff creates reread reports which are fulfilled by meter readers. The customer service staff also reviews bills for higher than usual bills to determine if usage is unusual. Customer service staff will contact customers if unusual usage is detected. We also continuously monitor our tank levels for any abnormalities with daily distribution. Staff utilizes a leak detection listening device to find main and service line leaks.

Water Conservation
What type of rate structure is used?   Increasing Block
How much reclaimed water does this system use?   0.0000 MGD   For how many connections?   0
Does this system have an interconnection with another system capable of providing water in an emergency?   Yes

The interconnection is not in use, as it will only supply a fraction of the demand needed. A reclaimed water study was prepared by The Wooten Company for the Town in 2011 and evaluated the potential for implementing reclaimed water usage.

2. Water Use Information

Service Area
Sub-Basin(s)% of Service Population
Catawba River (03-1)100 %
County(s)% of Service Population
Caldwell100 %
What was the year-round population served in 2024?   7,318
Has this system acquired another system since last report?   No
Water Use by Type
Type of Use Metered
Connections		 Metered
Average Use (MGD)		 Non-Metered
Connections		 Non-Metered
Estimated Use (MGD)
Residential 2,394 0.2840 0 0.0000
Commercial 308 0.0960 0 0.0000
Industrial 1 0.0070 0 0.0000
Institutional 21 0.1320 3 0.0008

How much water was used for system processes (backwash, line cleaning, flushing, etc.)?   0.0394 MGD

Water usages lumped into the system process was fire fighting water, flushing of fire hydrants, sewer jetting, and other process water usage at the WTP that doesn't go to the distribution system (backwash water, draining clearwells, running TrackVac in settling basins, laboratory sample pumps, etc). Efforts are being made to replace the existing older service lines to reduce service line breakages and to also reduce the amount of water lost from the system.

We have changed many of our non-metered municipal connections to metered connections, and we have added additional meters at some locations to monitor by specific usage.

Water Sales
Purchaser PWSID Average
Daily Sold
(MGD)		 Days
Used		 Contract Required to
comply with water
use restrictions?		 Pipe Size(s)
(Inches)		 Use
Type
MGD Expiration Recurring
Caldwell County S 01-14-047 0.3380 366 0.5500 2036 Yes Yes 12 Regular
Hickory 01-18-010 0.0720 366 2023 Yes Yes 12 Regular
Rhodhiss 01-14-035 0.0310 366 0.0500 2034 Yes Yes 10 Regular

A review of the most recent contract between the Town of Granite Falls and the City of Hickory found that there was no contract volume listed.

3. Water Supply Sources

Monthly Withdrawals & Purchases
Average Daily
Use (MGD)		 Max Day
Use (MGD)		 Average Daily
Use (MGD)		 Max Day
Use (MGD)		 Average Daily
Use (MGD)		 Max Day
Use (MGD)
Jan 0.9670 May 1.0890 Sep 1.1850
Feb 0.9470 Jun 0.9730 Oct 1.2000
Mar 0.9450 Jul 1.1920 Nov 1.0740
Apr 1.0150 Aug 1.1800 Dec 1.0900

Above are numbers from our raw water withdrawal.

Surface Water Sources
Stream Reservoir Average Daily Withdrawal Maximum Day
Withdrawal (MGD)		 Available Raw
Water Supply		 Usable On-Stream
Raw Water Supply
Storage (MG)
MGD Days Used MGD * Qualifier
Catawba River Lake Rhodhiss 1.0720 366 0.0000 2.5000 T 23,800.0000

* Qualifier: C=Contract Amount, SY20=20-year Safe Yield, SY50=50-year Safe Yield, F=20% of 7Q10 or other instream flow requirement, CUA=Capacity Use Area Permit

Surface Water Sources (continued)
Stream Reservoir Drainage Area
(sq mi)		 Metered? Sub-Basin County Year
Offline		 Use
Type
Catawba River Lake Rhodhiss 1,090 Yes Catawba River (03-1) Caldwell Regular
What is this system's off-stream raw water supply storage capacity?   0 Million gallons
Are surface water sources monitored?   No,
Are you required to maintain minimum flows downstream of its intake or dam?   No
Does this system anticipate transferring surface water between river basins?   No
Water Purchases From Other Systems
Seller PWSID Average
Daily Purchased
(MGD)		 Days
Used		 Contract Required to
comply with water
use restrictions?		 Pipe Size(s)
(Inches)		 Use
Type
MGD Expiration Recurring
Caldwell County Southeast 01-14-047 0.0000 0 0.0000 Yes Yes 8 Emergency

No water was purchased from Caldwell County Southeast during 2024.

Caldwell County Southeast is providing water to Granite Falls residents in Granite Falls Town Limits with water purchased from Granite Falls. The water purchased is not conveyed using an emergency connection.

Water Treatment Plants
Plant Name Permitted Capacity
(MGD)		 Is Raw Water Metered? Is Finished Water Ouput Metered? Source
Granite Falls WTP 2.5000 Yes Yes Lake Rhodhiss (Catawba River)
Did average daily water production exceed 80% of approved plant capacity for five consecutive days during 2024?  No
     If yes, was any water conservation implemented?  
Did average daily water production exceed 90% of approved plant capacity for five consecutive days during 2024?  No
     If yes, was any water conservation implemented?  
Are peak day demands expected to exceed the water treatment plant capacity in the next 10 years?  No

4. Wastewater Information

Monthly Discharges
Average Daily
Discharge (MGD)		 Average Daily
Discharge (MGD)		 Average Daily
Discharge (MGD)
Jan 0.5660 May 0.5380 Sep 0.4780
Feb 0.3620 Jun 0.3140 Oct 0.3550
Mar 0.4600 Jul 0.3300 Nov 0.3650
Apr 0.3250 Aug 0.3650 Dec 0.4740

How many sewer connections does this system have?   2,021
How many water service connections with septic systems does this system have?   685
Are there plans to build or expand wastewater treatment facilities in the next 10 years?   No
Wastewater Permits
Permit Number Type Permitted Capacity
(MGD)		 Design Capacity
(MGD)		 Average Annual
Daily Discharge
(MGD)		 Maximum Day Discharge
(MGD)		 Receiving Stream Receiving Basin
NC0021890 WWTP 0.9000 0.7500 0.4100 2.0000 Gunpowder Creek Catawba River (03-1)
NCG590005 WTP 0.0630 0.0630 0.0000 0.1000 Lake Rhodhiss Catawba River (03-1)

5. Planning

Projections
  2024 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Year-Round Population 7,318 7,505 7,887 8,290 8,712 9,157
Seasonal Population 0 0 0 0 0 0
 
Residential 0.2840 0.2912 0.3061 0.3217 0.3381 0.3554
Commercial 0.0960 0.0984 0.1035 0.1087 0.1143 0.1201
Industrial 0.0070 0.0072 0.0075 0.0079 0.0083 0.0088
Institutional 0.1328 0.1354 0.1423 0.1495 0.1572 0.1652
System Process 0.0394 0.0404 0.0425 0.0446 0.0469 0.0493
Unaccounted-for 0.0718 0.0735 0.0773 0.0812 0.0854 0.0897

The population projections were made by calculating the population for the service area, not the population of the Town. The population for the service area was obtained from PWSS (https://www.pwss.enr.state.nc.us/NCDWW/JSP/WaterSystemDetail.jsp?tinwsys_is_number=326&tinwsys_st_code=NC&wsnumber=NC0114030).

The population projections were based on the 5.1% population increase in Granite Falls from the 2010 to 2020 Census. While Caldwell County as a whole has seen a 2% decrease in population, most of our service area is in the Town Limits and the area around Granite Falls is growing at a similar rate to the Town Limits. The extended ranges were kept at a constant rate through 2070.

The unaccounted for usage has also been projected out at the same 5.1% increase. The Town works to repair water leaks as quickly as possible to reduce the volume of water lost as a result of leaks and hopes to reduce unaccounted for water in the future.

Demand v/s Percent of Supply
  2024 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Surface Water Supply 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000
Ground Water Supply 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Purchases 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Future Supplies 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Total Available Supply (MGD) 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000 2.5000
Service Area Demand 0.6310 0.6461 0.6792 0.7136 0.7502 0.7885
Sales 0.4410 0.6720 0.6720 0.6720 0.6720 0.6720
Future Sales 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Total Demand (MGD) 1.0720 1.3181 1.3512 1.3856 1.4222 1.4605
Demand as Percent of Supply 43% 53% 54% 55% 57% 58%

The purpose of the above chart is to show a general indication of how the long-term per capita water demand changes over time. The per capita water demand may actually be different than indicated due to seasonal populations and the accuracy of data submitted. Water systems that have calculated long-term per capita water demand based on a methodology that produces different results may submit their information in the notes field.

Your long-term water demand is 39 gallons per capita per day. What demand management practices do you plan to implement to reduce the per capita water demand (i.e. conduct regular water audits, implement a plumbing retrofit program, employ practices such as rainwater harvesting or reclaimed water)? If these practices are covered elsewhere in your plan, indicate where the practices are discussed here.    No Changes

Are there other demand management practices you will implement to reduce your future supply needs?   

What supplies other than the ones listed in future supplies are being considered to meet your future supply needs?   

How does the water system intend to implement the demand management and supply planning components above?   

Additional Information

Has this system participated in regional water supply or water use planning?  Yes, Yes, The Town has representatives on the Catawba River Study Committee and Drought Management Advisory Group. The Town is also a member of the Catawba-Wateree Management Group, which was established as a part of the Duke Energy re-licensing of the Catawba River.

What major water supply reports or studies were used for planning?  A Water Treatment Study dated October 2009 was commissioned by the Town. This is a primary study referenced for upcoming improvements to the System. Additionally, water system improvements are evaluated annually by water and wastewater staff for inclusion into the Capital Improvement Plan. Additional studies will be performed as the needs or conditions change within the System.

Please describe any other needs or issues regarding your water supply sources, any water system deficiencies or needed improvements (storage, treatment, etc.) or your ability to meet present and future water needs. Include both quantity and quality considerations, as well as financial, technical, managerial, permitting, and compliance issues:   Additional storage was addressed with the construction of a 1.0 MG elevated storage tank in 2012.

The Division of Water Resources (DWR) provides the data contained within this Local Water Supply Plan (LWSP) as a courtesy and service to our customers. DWR staff does not field verify data. Neither DWR, nor any other party involved in the preparation of this LWSP attests that the data is completely free of errors and omissions. Furthermore, data users are cautioned that LWSPs labeled PROVISIONAL have yet to be reviewed by DWR staff. Subsequent review may result in significant revision. Questions regarding the accuracy or limitations of usage of this data should be directed to the water system and/or DWR.