Southside Water Reclamation Facility Replacement

CFPUA is preparing to embark on the biggest capital project in the organization’s history: replacement and expansion of the Southside Water Reclamation Facility.

Replacing Southside is necessary to continue meeting our community’s wastewater treatment needs, accommodate future growth, and protect our local environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Southside Facility?

The Southside Water Reclamation Facility, located on River Road just north of Independence Boulevard, is one of two wastewater plants operated by CFPUA, along with the Northside Water Reclamation Facility across from Wilmington International Airport.

Southside currently is permitted to treat up to 12 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater. The plant receives wastewater from much of the City of Wilmington and southern parts of unincorporated New Hanover County.

Formerly known as the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant, Southside opened in 1972 and has undergone numerous upgrades and expansions over the past five decades.

Why does Southside need replacing? 

At 53 years old, much of the Southside Facility's infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.

Rendering showing the future Southside Water Reclamation Facility, with the current plant shown at left.

The project will replace the existing facility with new infrastructure and more modern treatment technology. The project also will expand Southside’s treatment capacity from 12 MGD to 16 MGD. This capacity increase is needed to meet future demand as CFPUA’s customer base continues to grow.

The wastewater treatment demand in southern New Hanover County has been approaching Southside’s capacity under peak conditions. For several years, CFPUA has diverted a portion of the flow from Southside to our larger Northside Water Reclamation Facility. Returning that flow to an expanded Southside will allow the Northside Facility to accommodate growth in northern New Hanover County.

How much will the project cost, and will it affect my CFPUA bill? 

Final project costs are still being determined, but estimates indicate the plant replacement and expansion will cost approximately $400 million.

To help fund the project, CFPUA has secured $175 million in low-interest State Revolving Fund loans from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ).

The CFPUA Board has also approved annual rate increases driven by costs associated with the Southside project:

• A 4.6 percent increase, or average of $3.19 per bill, for combined water and sewer services delivered beginning July 1, 2023.
• A 4.6 percent increase, or average of $3.39 per bill, for combined water and sewer services delivered beginning July 1, 2024.
• A 6.9 percent increase, or average of $5.12 per bill, for combined water and sewer services delivered beginning July 1, 2025. 

Additional rate increases to support the Southside project are anticipated. CFPUA continues to pursue numerous options for State and federal funding support for the project.

What is the project timeline? 

Site work began in fall 2025.

The project is expected to be completed in 2030.

How will the community benefit from the project? 

While both CFPUA wastewater plants continue to meet all permitting standards, new and upgraded technologies will allow the plant to remove even more contaminants from wastewater.

The replacement project will include treatment upgrades that will decrease ammonia, nitrogen, and other contaminants in treated effluent from the plant.

In addition to fully replacing aging infrastructure across the plant, the project will add a Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) treatment facility at Southside.

BNR, already in use at CFPUA’s Northside Facility, is a wastewater treatment method that harnesses the power of microbes, often called “bugs,” to break down waste and remove carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. This will allow the new plant to remove even more nutrients and contaminants from wastewater. 

Unlike some portions of the existing plant, the new Southside will also be built entirely above the 500-year floodplain, decreasing the potential for inundation during major storms. 

Importantly, this upgrade will ensure the Southside Facility continues to meet our community’s long-term wastewater treatment demands. The replacement will also significantly decrease the risk of equipment failure and protect our environment from potentially harmful sanitary sewer overflows.

How will wastewater be handled while construction is underway? 

The existing Southside Facility will continue operating throughout the construction process. The new facility will be built within the existing Southside property.

CFPUA sewer services are not expected to be impacted during the replacement project.