Home Care In Pittsboro, IN

Pittsboro, NC – On a pleasant Saturday morning, September 2nd, 2023, I sat down with Pittsboro Commissioner Kyle Shipp for a conversation. He shared insights into the town’s water situation and its merger with Sanford regarding water and sewer services. With a promise of improved water quality, lower rates, and increased development opportunities, my discussion with Kyle sheds light on the town’s future prospects.

The Water Situation in Pittsboro: A Year of Progress

Commissioner Shipp started the conversation on a positive note by emphasizing Pittsboro’s water quality. “We have some of the best water in North Carolina,” he proudly stated. The town recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) system, an investment that has yielded exceptional results.

Testing data for the GAC system has exceeded expectations. Shipp noted that it has achieved 100% removal of certain hazardous compounds and at least 93% removal of others. This system’s success is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of Pittsboro’s residents.

Environmental Concerns and Water Quality

Addressing concerns raised by the Haw River Assembly about pollutants coming downstream, Commissioner Shipp assured that the town is closely monitoring the situation. Efforts are in place to ensure that any contaminants are effectively managed. He mentioned that 1,4-dioxane levels have been relatively low recently, thanks to prompt actions taken by Pittsboro’s staff. Moreover, the Haw River Assembly’s river testing revealed a significant reduction in Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAs) in the river overall. This reduction signifies that the recently installed filtration system is operatinge more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Coordinating with Sanford: The Merger Explained

Commissioner Shipp discussed the merger between Pittsboro and Sanford, providing insights into its implications for both towns. As of August, both towns approved the merger, and now, the focus is on coordinating the merger at the staff level. The merger aims to transfer the ownership and operation of Pittsboro’s water and wastewater utilities to Sanford.

With this merger, Sanford will take on the responsibility of providing water and sewer services to Pittsboro. This transition will eventually lead to water bills coming from Sanford, along with the provision of water and wastewater services. However, Pittsboro will still have a role in the allocation of sewer capacity.

Maintaining Critical Infrastructure

Shipp shed light on the necessity of the GAC system and the reason behind the previous rate adjustments. The three-and-a-half-million-dollar investment was essential to ensure the city’s water met rigorous quality standards. The results, evident in the one-year assessment, have proven this investment to be invaluable in safeguarding public health.

Benefits and Opportunities Arising from the Merger

As part of the merger, Pittsboro residents witnessed a welcomed reduction of five percent in water rates. This decision was made to alleviate some of the financial burden on customers. System development fees, associated with new connections, were concurrently adjusted to help offset costs.

The merger not only reduces water rates for Pittsboro customers but also opens doors to greater development opportunities. Pittsboro will see an increase in sewer capacity, a significant factor in promoting residential and commercial growth.

In about two years, Pittsboro will have approximately two million gallons of additional sewer capacity, followed by an additional three million gallons in the future. This increased capacity will enable residential and commercial development that was previously hindered due to a lack of sewer infrastructure.

Looking Ahead: Challenges and Solutions

As the population of Pittsboro continues to grow, Shipp emphasized the importance of planning for future capacity needs. Projects of this magnitude demand careful consideration, but the benefits in terms of development and improved services will be felt for years to come.

Quick notes

Go to YouTube to watch the Pittsboro commissioner Kyle Shipp discusses the water situation video.

00:09 The water situation in Pittsboro has improved greatly, with some of the best water in North Carolina.

02:14 Testing shows significant reduction in PFAs in the river. Merger with Sanford approved.

04:22 Sanford will take on responsibilities and complete projects related to sewer and water in Pittsboro.

06:16 Pittsboro and Sanford systems merged, resulting in lower rates for Pittsboro customers and new job opportunities for employees

08:22 The water system in Pittsboro was upgraded in 18 months, resulting in improved water quality.

10:19 Sewer infrastructure development will bring opportunities for residential and commercial growth.

12:16 Pittsboro is increasing sewer capacity to accommodate future growth

14:08 Development of sewer capacity will take a couple of years to make accurate predictions.

Pittsboro is urging its customers to conserve water after the City of Burlington detected a spike of a dangerous chemical in its discharge upstream on the Haw River.

Burlington measured 1,4-dioxane levels of 545 parts per billion in a sample it took Tuesday morning from its South Burlington Wastewater Treatment Plant’s discharge, a spike from 2.4 ppb the day before.

Burlington officials reported the results to Pittsboro and other downstream utilities Wednesday afternoon and ordered Apollo Chemical, the Burlington company it believes may be responsible, to cease production.

The chemical, 1,4-dioxane, is a likely human carcinogen that is difficult for utilities to remove from drinking water. It is used as an industrial solvent stabilizer. The Environmental Protection Agency has set a health advisory goal of 35 ppb for 1,4-dioxane in finished drinking water. North Carolina has a target level of 0.35 ppb in drinking water sources.

In a Thursday morning press release, Pittsboro officials said the town immediately stopped drawing most water from the Haw upon learning of the release Wednesday afternoon.

They also took a sample of the town’s water and expect to have results back on Friday. Pittsboro will take daily samples and have them tested quickly until they are sure the slug of 1,-4-dioxane has moved past.

When spills occur from Burlington, as they have several times in recent years, the high level of 1,4-dioxane tends to move downstream in a “slug.”

In some past events, it’s taken about a week for the water containing high levels of the chemical to make its way downstream to Pittsboro and then several more days for it to fully pass by the town. The Haw is flowing quickly right now, though, and Pittsboro is conducting modeling to figure out when the chemical could reach the town’s intake.

“Because of our lack of testing data, we are unsure of what impact this release has, is having, or will have on our water system,” Colby Sawyer, a town spokesman, wrote in a press release.

As in past events, Pittsboro is offering free reverse osmosis and ultraviolet-treated drinking water at Chatham Marketplace, 480 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro. Customers can use the code 64261 to fill containars for free and are asked to bring jugs and bottles from home.

By cutting the amount of water being drawn from the Haw to the minimum amount needed to keep their water system working, Pittsboro official are hoping to prevent 1,4-dioxane from entering their system.

That’s why Pittsboro is asking its customers to cut back on non-essential uses like watering their lawns, washing cars or filling swimming pools.

“We are fortunate to have received test results from Burlington so early in this event. We hope this early notification has provided a warning in enough time for us to take protective action,” Sawyer wrote in the release.

That’s a significant difference from a September event, when Burlington wasn’t able to notify Pittsboro of a spill until eight days after the release started because of a backlog at the lab Burlington uses. Burlington has spent $115,000 conducting daily tests since a July 2023 release of 1,4-dioxane.

Burlington was originally using “expedited” lab testing for 1,4-dioxane, which has a two- to four-day turnaround. After the September event, the city decided to start using “rush” testing, which has a one- to two-day turnaround, said John Vernon, a city spokesman.

In a press release, Burlington pointed to Apollo Chemical, a local chemical manufacturer, as a potential source of this week’s spike.

Apollo’s chemicals are used to clean and remove grease from hard surfaces, lift stains out of fabrics, eliminate odors and repel oil and water, according to a draft wastewater permit prepared for the company.

Burlington started collecting daily samples of Apollo’s wastewater after a July 2023 spill, reserving them in case of any future 1,-4 dioxane releases. With the latest spike, the city sent those samples for a rush analysis to determine the level of the chemical in them.

Burlington ordered Apollo to halt its production Wednesday as soon as it received the test results. City officials are meeting with the company Thursday, Vernon said in a press release.

Apollo would not typically be part of Burlington’s pre-treatment program, in which the city regulates the discharge of industrial wastewater into its own wastewater plant. Companies that are automatically part of the program must discharge certain amounts of wastewater or belong to certain industries, and Apollo meets neither of those qualifications.

But because the July 2023 release affected the city’s wastewater, it was able to start working to bring Apollo into the program. That would allow Burlington to better control what Apollo is discharging, namely by requiring it to control 1,4-dioxane.

Burlington is awaiting state approval of a new permit for Apollo’s pre-treatment program, it said in a press release. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality must review and approve that permit, which could go into effect by March 1.

Under the permit, Burlington would require Apollo to sample its discharge for 1,4-dioxane on a weekly basis.

The company will also need to submit a “1,4-dioxane minimization plan” to the city by April 15, which will include evaluation of substitutes for the chemical in its production process, changes in those processes that could limit releases of the chemical and preventing discharges from production lines that use a “significant” amount of 1,4-dioxane.

“These items are not required of our other permitted industries,” Vernon wrote in an email.

This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.

This story was originally published January 25, 2024, 1:26 PM.

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Adam Wagner covers climate change and other environmental issues in North Carolina. His work is produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. Wagner’s previous work at The News & Observer included coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and North Carolina’s recovery from recent hurricanes. He previously worked at the Wilmington StarNews.

Posted Thursday, June 22, 2023 9:45 am

Updated: Thursday, June 22, 2023 11:50 am

PITTSBORO — The town of Pittsboro’s water infrastructure has been a hot-button issue for commissioners and residents alike.

Town staff and elected officials are working to develop a plan to merge Pittsboro’s water and wastewater facilities with Sanford’s, which staff argues would help alleviate limitations in the town’s current system.

The News & Record has created an updated timeline of the merger process between Pittsboro and Sanford. Here’s what’s been reported on so far:

During their last meeting of August 2021, Commissioners authorized then Town Manager Chris Kennedy to send a letter of intent to the City of Sanford to merge the two municipalities’ water and sewer capacities.

This move followed two decades of conversations and research between Sanford and Pittsboro seeking solutions to Pittsboro’s inadequate water capacity and treatment capabilities.

Kennedy’s resolution details the discussions and negotiations leading up to the decision, saying it was important to document the 23 years since the town established a moratorium related to limited water capacity.

“What I endeavored upon when I was working on this resolution was when we first formally talked about coordination with the city of Sanford,” he said. “I felt like it would be appropriate and productive to map that out, going back 23 years until April of 1999, and looking at that and saying we have created opportunities for ourselves today to do better to provide water and sewer.”

The proposed Sanford-Pittsboro partnership would allow the two municipalities to “regionalize the public water and wastewater utility systems of the Town of Pittsboro,” which would include water treatment plants, distribution, wastewater treatment and public wastewater collection infrastructure.

During his nearly two-year tenure as town manager, Kennedy said he has prioritized finding a solution to Pittsboro’s decades-long water capacity issues.

“I told the board when I got here I was going to work very hard to provide the town and the community generations’ worth of water and sewer capacity to the best of my ability,” he said. “This is an attempt — this is not a guarantee, Sanford is under no obligation to work with us or take on our water and sewer needs. We feel we have a good partner with them (Sanford).”

Kennedy also provided an update on the merger of Pittsboro and Sanford’s wastewater utility systems.

Freese and Nichols Inc. — the consulting engineering firm on the project — has developed a scope of work, which outlines what tasks the firm would be responsible for should a merger take place.

FNI said it would help conduct a study that considers financial options and impacts, system operation, assets and other factors associated with a merger. The firm also said it would carry out a rate analysis and develop a multi-year rate plan for three scenarios: the town only, the town with a merged system and the city with a merged system.

Town Engineer Kent Jackson gave commissioners an update to a project relevant to the Sanford merger in October 2022.

That September, the Wooten Company, on the town’s behalf, applied for a $10.5 million construction grant from the N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure to supplement the funding for the project. Jackson said he expected to hear back about the grant approval status in January.

“As we anticipate with everything with the bidding climate that the bids may be slightly higher than anticipated,” Jackson said.

Jackson also said that prior to former Town Manager Kennedy’s departure, Kennedy sent a letter to the Local Government Commission and the Division of Water Infrastructure requesting a loan increase request. The request was approved a few weeks later, bringing Pittsboro’s loan approval amount to $26.5 million, Jackson said.

SUBHEAD: Feb. 15: Board votes to move forward and create an interlocal agreement

Jackson said the town approved staff to start selecting bids for two construction contracts for a wastewater systems improvements project — the Sanford Force Main project. Jackson said the town received two bids in November — one bid for the contract regarding laying down more than 67,000 feet of force main pipes and another for modifications to the town’s wastewater treatment plant.

Once receiving bids, the town entered a 90-day negotiating period with contractors to discuss costs for each of the projects. That period ended on Feb. 8, and Jackson said only one of the two contracts granted a written extension to discuss project costs; the town will have to restart the bidding process for the wastewater plant contract.

Both projects ended up being more costly than town staff originally expected, according to Jackson. The force main project’s estimated cost is around $44 million for the contract, other fees and expenses.

Jackson said he and his staff met with local officials and state representatives to explain the unique situation Pittsboro finds itself in with the funds for the contracts. They’ve also been in contact with Chatham Park Investors, and they’re working to find a way to “fund the gap.”

“Identifying the funding is still a challenge,” Jackson said. “As we stand today, we have $37 million in loans, through the state revolving fund against the $44 million project costs … We’ve made some progress [with Chatham Park Investors], but we have not closed the gap completely yet.”

The board of commissioners came to a consensus, asking Jackson to continue conversations with Chatham Park Investors.

Chatham County municipalities were awarded more than $29 million for infrastructure projects, including $28.4 million for water and wastewater projects in Pittsboro.

For this round of funding, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) received 649 applications from 91 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, and reconsidered applications from spring 2022. In total, 734 applications were considered for funding, representing requests of more than $3.5 billion. The awards are funded by a portion of $2.3 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act, State Revolving Funds (including Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds), and Community Development Block Grant funding.

Rep. Robert Reives II (D-Dist. 54), who represents Chatham County in the N.C. House of Representatives, said investing in infrastructure projects is a necessity with the incoming development and growth.

“Chatham and Randolph are growing quickly — as fast as any other part of our state,” he said. “With that growth, we need to make investments in our water and sewer infrastructure in order to continue serving both residents and new businesses. I am glad to see this money coming into our communities to ensure clean water is available for every resident, and so that we keep pace with the needs of new industries locating here.”

Charles Archer from Freese and Nichols provided a presentation on the work the firm did on the study and analysis on the merger. He talked about phase two of the study, which included a governance group made up of officials and staff from both Pittsboro and Sanford.

“We spent a lot of time talking, and we spent a lot of time outside of the meetings thinking about this,” Archer said. “It’s been a big commitment of time and of folks sharing their knowledge and insight.”

The governance group held four official meetings, according to Archer. Each meeting had a specific topic the group would focus on, including:

The draft interlocal agreement was made available to the public in the agenda items packet for Monday evening’s meeting.

Archer broke down the highlights of the merger agreement, which “irrevocably grants Sanford the right to design, construct, operate, maintain and perform all related activities required to operate, maintain, expand, upgrade and improve Pittsboro’s Utility Systems, which includes the right to decommission, sell or otherwise dispose of property in accordance with Sanford’s water, water reclamation and sewer system standards and policies for operation and performance, level of service, reliability and redundancy.”

Sanford will also be the entity responsible for establishing system development fees and water and wastewater utility rates, according to the merger agreement. Both towns would also agree to move forward with “reasonable future growth” for the infrastructure, as well as would provide the same level of service to Pittsboro customers that Sanford customers receive.

Jackson stepped up and went on to explain eight benefits of merging water systems with Sanford. A merger could:

The board set a public hearing for June 26 to have residents and other members of the public comment on the merger agreement.

Pittsboro’s new Welcome Center is officially open to the public, and its representatives are eager to help newcomers and longtime residents alike find new and exciting things to do in Chatham County.

“We can’t wait to tell people about all the local restaurants, local shops and opportunities for recreation,” said Lesley Landis, one of many Chathamites who collaborated on the Welcome Center’s evolution from concept to completion.

“And we want to expand people’s impressions of all of Chatham, beyond even Pittsboro as the county seat. We’re here to talk about Siler City, and Moncure, and Gulf, and Goldston, and Bonlee and Bennett.”

Landis is a board member of Main Street Pittsboro — one of several non-profits under the N.C. Dept. of Commerce’s North Carolina Main Street program — which operates the Welcome Center. The 10-person team includes County Commissioner Mike Dasher, Pittsboro Commissioner Michael Fiocco and Pittsboro Town Manager Chris Kennedy, along with several local business owners such as Landis. The Main Street program is “to help historic downtowns rebound from the loss of businesses and capitalize on their unique assets to retain existing businesses and attract new ones,” according to the Main Street Pittsboro website.

“So to do that,” Landis said, “we agreed as a board that it was really important to have a physical presence and to capture the traffic, or attempt to capture the traffic that comes through here on a daily basis.”

The Welcome Center is located at 37 Hillsboro St., directly adjacent to the downtown traffic circle. Its building was constructed in 1930 and served as a filling station, an auto repair center, a diner and ice cream shop and finally a Capital Bank before sitting vacant for about a year until 2020.

“And so when this opportunity became available,” Landis said, “we agreed we had to jump on it.”

A year later, the building bears little resemblance to its former self. The interior features a modern rustic aesthetic with wood accents and contemporary furniture, most of which was locally made, Landis said. Outside, the building was stripped of its plank siding and mansard roof to expose the brick beneath, consistent with other downtown buildings.

“We’re really happy with the progress we’ve been able to make during this very trying time,” Fiocco told the News + Record, adding, “We continue to make improvements to the facility and are eager to see … the improvements it will bring to the adjoining properties.”

But improving downtown’s appearance was an ancillary goal for Main Street Pittsboro. The Welcome Center’s main purpose is to make the town and county more accessible to visitors, and to boost the local economy by promoting local businesses.

“What I hope we’re able to do is answer whatever brought people through that door, and direct people to whatever they’re looking for,” said Paul Sacca, the Welcome Center’s concierge, and Main Street Pittsboro’s only employee. “Surprisingly, a great deal of people are from out of state, and with everything opening up they’re either moving here, or they already moved here or are considering moving here, and so they come trying to find out more about the town.”

Since the Welcome Center opened last month on March 24, about 200 people have come, Sacca said. He shares with visitors a list of local restaurants and his recommendations, invites them to explore videos of Chatham on the center’s interactive smart TV and points them toward recreational opportunities according to their preferences. The variety of travelers surprised Sacca at first, he said, but it’s testament to Chatham County’s growing reputation.

“I mean, just briefly, I’ve seen people from Virginia, Washington state, Ohio, Florida, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Nevada, Maine, Connecticut, California,” he said, “just all over the place.”

“Pittsboro is so ideally located,” Landis added, “it’s a wonder that it lasted this long without just huge amounts of growth. But people are realizing it now.”

Landis and the Main Street Pittsboro board are happy to welcome the transplants who bring with them an infusion of new money for the local economy. Businesses have struggled to survive the pandemic, Landis said, more than some would like to admit.

“We’ve had this conversation at the board level that most businesses don’t want to say, ‘Hey, help us, we’re on the verge of closing,’ because it looks weak,” she said. “But then when a business closes down … everybody is so shocked and sad, and had they known that (the business) was having trouble, they would have made an extra effort to support them. So there’s a messaging puzzle in there as to how you talk about it, and hopefully Main Street Pittsboro, and with our new building here, can fill in some of the gap.”

With the pandemic ongoing, though, it’s been a challenge for Main Street Pittsboro to promote its new building and expanded services. The Welcome Center is still in its “soft opening,” Landis said, but she and the board have not abandoned the idea of a belated “grand” opening.

“We don’t have a date for our grand opening, I don’t know when it will be able to happen,” she said, “But we’re really excited about it when it does happen and we want to invite all the businesses to be part of it.”

And she hopes Chatham businesses will collaborate with Main Street Pittsboro to keep reviving a local economy racked by the pandemic recession.

“Main Street Pittsboro, and I think Chatham County in general, thrives when people work together,” she said. “We have a tremendous resource in this building, and we want to share it — to do everything we can to promote the county, businesses, agencies, events, you name it.”

The Pittsboro Welcome Center is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To learn more about Main Street Pittsboro, or to donate, visit mainstreetpittsboro.org.

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The Chatham News + Record is Chatham County’s source for local news and journalism. The Chatham News, established in 1924, and the Chatham Record, founded in 1878, have come together to better serve the Chatham community as the Chatham News + Record. Covering news, business, sports and more, the News + Record is working to strengthen community ties through compelling coverage of life in Chatham County.

The Pulse

Update at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26.: The Town of Pittsboro released the first sampling results for 1,4-Dioxane:

The EPA has set a health advisory goal of 0.35 ppb of 1,4-Dioxane in rivers and streams and 35 ppb in drinking water. The EPA has not yet established a legally enforceable maximum level for drinking water. The 35 ppb figure is not as protective as that for rivers and streams. That’s not a scientific rationale, but a technical one: Because of the cost of upgraded treatment systems — in the tens of millions of dollars — most utilities could not achieve the more stringent goals.

“The Town is cautiously optimistic with these results, which indicate whether the “slug,” or concentrated area of 1,4 dioxane, has passed us and we had minimal uptake, or it is just now reaching us,” wrote town spokesman Colby Sawyer, in a press release. Additional test results are expected tomorrow. “Once we receive these results, we can determine if our 1,4 dioxane concentration is moving in a positive or negative direction.”

Update at 7:48 a.m.: Because of the uncertainty about the presence of 1,4-Dioxane in the town’s drinking water, the Town of Pittsboro and Chatham Marketplace, 480 Hillsboro St, are offering free reverse osmosis (RO) treated water to Pittsboro water customers and customers of Aqua NC who receive their water from the Town of Pittsboro. Customers may use Code 64261 to fill jugs and bottles for free. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Customers should bring jugs and bottles from home, as only a limited supply is available for purchase at the store.

The Town of Pittsboro has ramped up its drinking water testing after the City of Burlington discharged a slug of toxic chemical 1,4-Dioxane — 1,300 times the EPA’s health advisory goal — into the Haw River. It is the second time Burlington has reported contaminating Pittsboro’s drinking water supply this year.

In a press release issued late Friday afternoon, Pittsboro spokesman Colby Sawyer said Burlington officials had notified the town at 1:30 p.m. that routine testing showed high levels of 1,4-Dioxane — 459 parts per billion — had been discharged from one of its wastewater treatment plants on Sept. 14. However, Burlington officials reportedly told their Pittsboro counterparts that the test results had only arrived that day — more than a week later.

1,4-Dioxane is a “probable” carcinogen, according to federal health authorities. The chemical is used in industrial processing and as a solvent.

The source of the 1,4-Dioxane was likely one of Burlington’s industrial customers that discharges its wastewater into the city sewer system. Since traditional treatment methods don’t remove 1,4-Dioxane, the chemical passed through Burlington’s wastewater treatment plant and entered the Haw.

Burlington is 30 miles upstream of Pittsboro.

Sawyer said Pittsboro officials still don’t know if the 1,4-Dioxane has already passed by the town or has yet to arrive. “When a release of this type occurs, most of the substance flows downstream together,” Sawyer said. “The dilution and speed of travel of this bulked substance, or slug, is based on how fast and at what volume the river is flowing.”

Because Pittsboro’s contracted testing labs don’t operate on the weekends, its results won’t be back until Monday or Tuesday. Without the data, “we are unsure of what impact this release has, is having, or will have on our water system.”

Pittsboro utilities staff are drawing only the minimum amount of water from the Haw to “keep the water system functional,” Sawyer said.

The town is encouraging its water customers to conserve water by reducing or eliminating non-essential uses, such as landscape irrigation, washing vehicles and filling swimming pools.

In July, Burlington’s Southside wastewater treatment plant released 1,4-Dioxane into the Haw, albeit at lower levels — 160 ppb, or 457 times the EPA goal for rivers and streams. It took about a week for the chemical to reach Pittsboro, which at the time, detected levels in drinking water at 11.9 ppb.

In 2020, the Haw River Assembly, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the City of Burlington reached a memorandum of agreement to identify sources of 1,4-Dioxane and to reduce its discharge. Burlington has not publicly announced which of its industrial customers is responsible for the high levels of 1,4-Dioxane discharges.