The Wastewater Treatment Division is responsible for operations of two wastewater treatment plants and 31 wastewater pumping stations.  The Division also operates a sewage collection system comprised of 370 miles of gravity line, 10,400 manholes, and 25 miles of pressurized sewage force main.  The Division maintains a staff of certified wastewater treatment operators who ensure compliance with strict environmental standards.

There are approximately 25,300 service connections through which an average of 14.7 million gallons of wastewater travels each day.  This waste is collected, treated, and then discharged back into the Cape Fear River.  The City also treats wastewater from the New Hanover County Water and Sewer District and from the Town of Wrightsville Beach.

Wastewater is treated at either of our two facilities.  The James A. Loughlin Plant (Northside) is permitted to treat up to 8 million gallons of wastewater daily while the M'Kean Maffitt Plant (Southside) is permitted to treat up to 12 million gallons daily.  Both wastewater treatment plants use physical, chemical, and biological processes to clean the wastewater.  Screening and settling processes help remove most suspended materials.  Biological processes, utilizing bacteria, aid with removing the remainder of the suspended materials and the dissolved substances.  Organic material left over from the treatment process undergoes further treatment at each plant.  These solids are nutrient rich and are utilized locally for farming operations.