From Staff Reports

MILLS RIVER — Asheville leaders helped to break ground on an expansion at the city’s Mills River Water Treatment Plant here on May 23.

Specifically, the phase two enhancements, according to a City of Asheville press release, will include the following:

• A million-gallon clear well to increase the storage of treated water.

• An eight-million-gallon reservoir for raw water.

• New pumps and equipment for the plant’s emergency generator.

• A new backwash lagoon for a potential increase in treatment capacity.

• New switchgear for the emergency generator for reliable and seamless power transfers during power loss.

The city noted that phase two sets the stage for phase three, which will double the Mills River Plant’s water treatment capacity.

“We learned during Helene how critical a resilient water system is,” Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said. “Complex projects like this require months and years of planning and are only the result of collaboration among water staff and our partners in the private sector.”

As for the water treatment plant expansion, phase two has a development term of about three years, the city release noted.

Meanwhile, phase three — the final phase —  is scheduled to begin in 2029 and will take about three years to finish, according to the release.

Following its story on the Mills River Water Treatment Plant groundbreaking, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) “Comment Bubble” included the following:  

• TheOracle — “When in doubt, build it out. Kudos to investment in infrastructure.”