Complete

On June 8, 2020 the WSFC Utilities Commission approved a project for a fully-automated, two-way, fixed base Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. The scope of the project includes the replacement of approximately 130,000 water meters. The installation portion includes the deployment of all required radio network hardware, radio endpoints, and software systems as well as software integrations, testing, training, and other support services. To date, WSFC Utilities has completed the installation of approximately 112,100 meters.

The WSFC Utilities Commission has initiated an Advanced Metering Infrastructure project under which all meters will be replaced with smart devices. This project will establish a network and will outline reporting requirements for the installed system. The project was approved in 2020 and began in 2021 and will span five years to replace all existing meters with AMI capable meters, build the network and develop the reporting.

WSFC Utilities Division has a technical group dedicated to resolving system issues. The program has been developed over the last five years and expanded to improve water quality through flushing in many areas of the system. Routine flushing routes have been developed that get completed on varying frequencies. Seven auto-flushers are currently installed in our distribution system to reduce water age and improve water quality; with another six flushers planned for installation in the upcoming year.

WSFC Utilities Division has ample redundancy due to having three water plants (of which any two are capable of meeting routine system or emergency demands).

In addition, the Thomas Plant can treat raw waters from multiple sources. Due to our location in the region and the relatively small size of adjacent water providers, it is not feasible for our system to receive enough water from neighboring systems. WSFC Utilities can obtain ~1.0 MGD of water from Davidson Water, Inc. in an emergency. Discussions have also been on-going with Davidson Water regarding increased ability for WSFC Utilities to provide them more water during emergencies or water shortages.

Our 2024 population served has been updated based on the 2020 Water Facilities Master Plan Projections.

In the WSFC Utilities System, residential and commercial meters are grouped in a single billing category. Apartments where units are metered separately are classified as residential, whereas units that are master metered are classified as commercial. Our institutional class includes government facilities.

Non-metered connections listed above include hydrant and sprinkler connections. Non-metered usage figures are not available.

Starting in 2017 calendar year, WSFC Utilities made a concerted effort to capture as much unbilled metered water as possible through newly implemented tracking measures. Due to the absence of well validated data, WSFC Utilities and the recommended AWWA default value of 1.25 percent of system supplied water for unbilled unmetered consumption.

In 2022, WSFC Utilities and Stokes County updated the intergovernmental agreement with an increase in allocation from 0.2 MGD to 1.0 MGD and extended the contract until 2050.

In 2023, WSFC Utilities and the Town of Stokesdale updated the intergovernmental agreement with an increase in allocation from 0.3 MGD to 0.5 MGD and extended the contract until 2050.

In 2024, WSFC Utilities and the Town of Oak Ridge signed an Interlocal Water Services Agreement to provide water at an initial allocation of 0.35 MGD for a 30-year contract term. The Town is currently pursuing infrastructure development to utilize the agreement.

WSFC Utilities has a connection with the City of King that has not been used.

Below are the minimum flows and conditions our system must maintain in Salem Creek downstream of Salem Lake Dam.

Tier 1: From normal pool elevation 795.6 feet MSL to 794.6 feet MSL, the minimum release shall be 1.55 (one and 55 one-hundredths) CFS and water supply withdrawal is not limited.

Tier 2: From elevation 794.6 feet MSL to 793.6 feet MSL, the minimum release shall be 1.33 (one and 33 one-hundredths) CFS and the water supply withdrawal shall be reduced by at least 10% from the average daily withdrawal over the previous 60 (sixty) days.

Tier 3: Below elevation 793.6 feet MSL, the minimum release shall be 1.10 (one and one tenth) CFS and the water supply withdrawal shall be reduced by at least 20% from the average daily withdrawal over the previous 60 (sixty) days.

The City of Winston-Salem also owns the rights to the top 30 feet of storage at the W. Kerr-Scott Reservoir located in Wilkes County. This source is linked to conditions in the Yadkin River. Available withdrawal from the Yadkin River is limited to 50 MGD, on a 30 day running average, from all intakes when the flow at Idols Dam staff gauge falls below 554 CFS due to downstream discharges by the Citys Muddy Creek WWTP. During these low flow periods, withdrawals in excess of 50 MGD (on a 30 day running average) will require water supply releases from W. Kerr-Scott Reservoirs conservation pool. The additional releases, according to our permit, must equal or exceed the amount in excess of 50 MGD.

Off stream raw water storage includes: one 50 MG reservoir & one 100 MG reservoir at Swann WTP, and two 15 MG reservoirs at Neilson WTP.

Due to the geography of our service area we transfer water to the Haw and Roanoke basins. This is limited mostly to residential customers that purchase our systems water but have septic systems for wastewater handling and users that have irrigation systems. Our system also occasionally sells water to Greensboro which is an interbasin transfer into the Cape Fear River Basin.

The Neilson Water Treatment Plant Rehabilitation Project was bid in the spring of 2021 and a construction contract was awarded to Ulliman-Schutte Construction (USC) by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities Commission (WSFC Utilities). Notice to proceed was issued shortly after and began mobilizing in October 2021. To date, USC has completed a substantial portion of Phase 2 (of 3) which includes the renovation of the Neilson 3 and 4 treatment trains, including the addition of a Wash water Equalization Basin and Clarifier for residuals management. It is anticipated Neilson 3 and 4 trains will be placed into service in the spring of 2025. During this phase of the project the Neilson WTP has been operating at 50% (24.0 MGD) capacity.

According to our current Master Plan, which includes predictions through 2045, we do not anticipate exceeding our three water plants capacity during the next 10 years (or during the period of our master planning horizon).

in 2023, there was a major explosion at our Biosolids Drying Facility due to a natural gas leak, located at the Archie Elledge Wastewater Facility. As a result, the facility will be out of service in the years to come and all residuals are being transported to the Hanes Mill Landfill for disposal.

The Neilson WTP NC0086011 has been an active permit since issued, however, the plant currently does not discharge (all the wash water is currently recycled back to the raw water reservoirs). As part of the scope of Neilson Modernization Project a wash water equalization basin and clarifier have been constructed in 2023 for residuals management. Initial startup of the waste treatment equipment is anticipated in the spring of 2025 at which time the associated permit will become active.

Thomas WTP (formerly NC0079821) applied and received a new General Permit (NCG590044) in 2024.

Permits WQ0029804 and WQ0031314 are Land Application Permits for Class A Residuals for the wastewater biosolids facility and water treatment facilities, respectively.

WSFC Utilities has increased the sewer allocation for the City of King from 0.97 MGD to 3.0 MGD.