The Wooten Company at 75: Gauging the Impact of the Neuse Regional WASA Water Supply Project

RALEIGH, NC, November 28, 2011 (Press-News.org) Even for communities near the coastal plain, it can be easy to forget the importance of clean drinking water and the infrastructure necessary to maintain it. That is why the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority (NRWASA) six years ago placed an emphasis on finding a feasible alternative to replace the already-limited groundwater sources. But in order to find a solution, the authority needed the assistance of one of the state's top engineering firms: The Wooten Company.

Operating in four locations across the state (including its downtown Greenville office), The Wooten Company was approached by NRWASA because of its expertise in designing significant water supply systems for towns and municipalities in North Carolina. After the firm conducted a feasibility study for the affected areas across Lenoir and Pitt counties, they soon entered into an agreement with the authority, Rivers & Associates, McDavid & Associates, and The East Group, that would result in a $60 million water transmission project to deliver fresh water to the eight member entities of NRWASA.

Today, as The Wooten Company celebrates 75 years of business as one of the most reputable engineering, planning and architectural firms in the state, this project stands as one of the most impactful success stories of the firm's recent history.

"The Wooten Company has undertaken many large-scale projects over the years, but few had the potential to impact as many lives as the NRWASA water transmission project," said Bucky Moore, President of The Wooten Company. "We are extremely proud of the work we accomplished in that region and the effect it will have on the area's sustainable development."

Over the past 20 years, Pitt and Lenoir Counties (as well as the surrounding communities) have seen increased water demands, which in turn led to severe depletion of the regional groundwater supplies. Because of the groundwater shortfall, the State of North Carolina mandated limiting groundwater withdrawals to a sustainable rate so that they would be able to replenish themselves and provide a reliable water source for the sustainable future.

To accomplish this, The Wooten Company designed and engineered an extensive water transmission project that included over 70 miles of water transmission mains ranging from 8 inches to 42 inches in diameter, three elevated storage tanks (1.5, 1.0, and 0.75 MG), four booster pump stations ranging from 270 gallons per minute to 3,800 gpm, 18 pressure reducing valves, upgrades of 60 existing wells and several metering stations, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems and related appurtenances. When the project was finally completed in 2008, NRWASA finally had a solution to meeting the region's long-term water supply needs reliably and cost-effectively for years to come.

"Designing an infrastructure of over 70 miles in transmission mains was no easy feat," said Dan Boone, Civil Department Manager at The Wooten Company. "However, our engineers have significant experience with this type of work, and we were able to get the project done on time and under budget."

The scope of the NRWASA project was indeed significant in terms of community impact, but it was nothing new to The Wooten Company. While the firm's home office is in Raleigh, it has accomplished many successful projects in Eastern North Carolina through its Greenville office, including: stormwater drainage and management improvements for the Cities of Greenville and Washington; Wastewater collection and treatment system improvements for Lenoir County, the City of Kinston, and the Towns of Grifton, Winterville, Belhaven, LaGrange, Robersonville, Bethel, Pink Hill and Ayden; water supply and distribution system improvements for Edgecombe County, Deep Run and the Towns of Bethel and Pink Hill; GPS and GIS mapping services for the Towns of Edenton and Beaufort; LEED Enhanced Commissioning for North Carolina Aquarium Pier at Nags Head; and several other projects that have made a substantial impact in the local communities.

"We can't say enough about the work we've done for the communities surrounding our Greenville office," said Gary Hartong, The Wooten Company's Greenville Office Manager. "We are grateful to have the opportunity to help municipalities grow their infrastructures so that their residents can enjoy a better quality of life."

Today, The Wooten Company remembers the impact of the NRWASA facility and several other projects that have helped the local communities as the firm celebrates 75 years of success in providing engineering, planning and architectural services to public and private entities across North Carolina.

For the past 75 years, The Wooten Company has been dedicated to designing rural electric lines, water and sewer systems, building systems and community planning development projects all over the state of North Carolina. The firm is most known for its work on North Carolina State University's Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh and for its engineering work on various water and wastewater facilities across the state. Their services include sanitary/environmental engineering, general civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, community planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and GIS/mapping services. In addition, The Wooten Company provides project financing assistance for local government projects and, since the early 1990s, has helped raise over a quarter of a billion dollars in funds for infrastructure improvements and community enhancements. The Wooten Company is focused on strategic planning and development of buildings and infrastructure for the people of North Carolina as the state continues to grow in the near future. For more information, please visit The Wooten Company's website at www.thewootencompany.com.