Salisbury-Rowan Utilities (SRU), the city’s utilities department, is providing information to its customers to address inquiries prompted by water quality challenges in Flint, Mich.

SRU is sharing information on its water treatment plant process, testing, infrastructure and water source for its customers. The utility’s director, Jim Behmer, explained that, “for SRU water supply operations, water quality is the top priority.”

The City of Salisbury has been using and treating water from the same source – the Yadkin River – since 1917. In addition, the city has an emergency interconnection with Statesville (a reliable neighboring water supply system). At the city’s water withdrawal facilities, the Yadkin River is classified by the State of North Carolina as WS-IV (waters used as sources of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes).

The water treatment plant process was designed to treat the Yadkin River for potable purposes. SRU adjusts the pH and adds phosphate to the water before it leaves the treatment plant in order to prevent corrosion of the pipes in the distribution system (and private service lines). Other safeguards include an in-house laboratory that monitors each phase of the treatment process with samples being taken every 15 minutes, testing for more than 150 contaminants, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

SRU has no need or plans to utilize a water source other than the Yadkin River. It is expected that the river will easily meet water demands for the long-term future. But, if an alternative is necessary, there is a well-defined process defined by the state that would require testing for both EPA and North Carolina-regulated parameters. The N.C. Division of Environmental Quality would also have to review and approve any changes of the city’s source water.

Salisbury-Rowan Utilities provides drinking water to customers that meets or exceeds federal and state treatment standards. In fact, SRU has earned the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award, through the N.C. Division of Water Resources for four consecutive years for surpassing those levels. Each year SRU publishes an annual drinking water report that summarizes laboratory testing and other information about the quality and safety of its water supply. The water quality report can be found here: www.salisburync.gov/WaterReport<http://www.salisburync.gov/WaterReport>.

Customers who have water quality questions or concerns can contact the SRU laboratory at 704-638-5372.