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PUBLIC NOTICE
The Town of Wilkesboro Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting Scheduled for Monday, August 18, 2025 @ 5:15 pm hs been rescheduled to Monday, September 15, 2025 @ 5:15 pm at Wilkesboro Town Hall, 203 W. Main St., Wilkesboro, NC 28697.
Donna Rhodes
Town Clerk
Written by Mayor Dale Isom
The Wilkesboro Town Council has officially approved a major upgrade and expansion of the town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. This decision was made during the Council meeting on July 21, 2025. The project is a significant investment in Wilkesboro’s future and will help ensure the town can continue to grow while protecting public health and the environment.
The need for this upgrade began when the existing plant reached 80% of its permitted capacity—a key threshold set by state regulations. After reaching that point, the Town completed a detailed engineering study, explored several design options, and hired a Construction Manager at Risk to help control costs and improve planning. After careful review and planning, the Town is now ready to break ground.
“This project is not just about pipes and pumps—it’s about protecting the future of our town,” said Council Member Nellie Archibald. “Without this upgrade, Wilkesboro would have hit a sewer moratorium. That means no new sewer taps, no new homes, no new businesses. Growth would have stopped completely.”
The expanded plant will provide the Town with the capacity to support future development, both residential and commercial. It will also protect one of the area’s largest employers, which relies on steady and reliable wastewater services to keep operating and expanding. By supporting local business and job growth, this project will help keep our local economy strong.
The new facility will also use advanced technology to remove more nitrogen and phosphorus—pollutants that contribute to water quality problems in High Rock Lake, a downstream resource that supplies both water and energy. These improvements are not only required by federal environmental regulations, but they also help protect natural resources and reduce harmful algal blooms in the Yadkin River and High Rock Lake.
Another important part of the project is moving much of the facility out of the floodplain. The current plant has flooded several times in recent years, and the risk is increasing. Relocating the most vulnerable parts of the facility will reduce future damage, lower repair costs, and keep the plant running during storms and other extreme weather.
The total cost of the project is not to exceed $89.8 million. To pay for it, the Town has secured a $69.6 million zero-interest loan from the State Revolving Loan Fund, to be repaid over 30 years. The Town also received $18 million in grants from the State of North Carolina and has requested additional funding from Wilkes County, which benefits from the homes and industries served by the plant.
The Town will repay its share of the cost over time while keeping the impact on residents as low as possible. Because the new plant will be more energy-efficient, use fewer chemicals, and require less maintenance, it will save money in the long run and free up budget space for repayment.
“This is a big step forward for Wilkesboro,” said Mayor Dale Isom. “It protects our public health, supports our economy, and helps us care for the environment. We thank everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible, and we look forward to a stronger, more resilient future.”