North Carolina / Sewer operators /

Charlotte Water

Sewer utility · North Carolina · Charlotte, Pineville, Huntersville, Mint Hill

Map sources: water outlines and launches from OpenBoatLaunch and OpenStreetMap contributors (Open Database License); wastewater outlets from EPA and state records; downstream estimates by DirtyWaterWatch using U.S. Geological Survey maps and flow data. Base map: OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.

Ringed dots mark treatment plant outfalls. Small hollow diamonds mark places named in its overflow reports (provisional). Dashed river stretches are estimates of where a discharge travels. Square boat markers mark boat launches listed by OpenBoatLaunch.

Federal wastewater discharge permit (NPDES)

NC0024937, WQCS00001, NC0024945, NC0024970, NC0030210, NC0036277, NC0065749, NC0089630

Wastewater outlets

20 treatment plant outfalls listed by EPA or state agencies; 346 places named in its own overflow reports (provisional locations) · List

Waters listed as receiving wastewater

Sugar Creek; Irwin Creek; McAlpine Creek; Briar Creek; Catawba River basin; Little Sugar Creek; McAlpine Creek (Waverly Lake); Mallard Creek; McDowell Creek; Duck Creek

Tracked waters

Catawba River, NC, Duck Creek, NC, Irwin Creek, NC, Little Sugar Creek, NC, Mallard Creek, NC, McAlpine Creek, NC, McDowell Creek, NC, Sugar Creek, NC, Little Hope Creek, NC, Brier Creek, NC, Ramah Creek, NC, Campbell Creek, NC, Stewart Creek, NC, Lake Norman, NC, Clarke Creek, NC, Fourmile Creek, NC, Lake Wylie, NC, McMullen Creek, NC, Steele Creek, NC, Paw Creek, NC, Studman Branch, NC, Stevens Creek, NC, Sixmile Creek, NC, Toby Creek, NC, Torrence Creek, NC, Gum Branch, NC, Walker Branch, NC, Doby Creek, NC, Fites Creek, NC, North Fork Crooked Creek, NC, Taggart Creek, NC, Coffey Creek, NC, South Prong West Branch Rocky River, NC, McKee Creek, NC, Edwards Branch, NC, West Branch Rocky River, NC, Caldwell Station Creek, NC, Dairy Branch, NC, Beaverdam Creek, NC, Knox Creek, NC, McIntyre Creek, NC

Discharge records counted

364 records · latest Oct 16, 2026, 5:42 PM EDT

Total reported volume in these records

1,685,656 gallons across the 339 records that give a volume (25 without one)

These totals reflect the records we track. Missing volumes and gaps in reporting limit comparisons between operators.

Sources: EPA ECHO and the operator and state sources linked below. Counts use the discharge records on this page. Updated 2026-11-05 06:27 UTC.

Public notices and alerts

We do not list an alert service for this operator yet. Check its website.

Its public-notice channels

• Operator's notice page · Required by law

  Annual performance report not read

  G.S. 143-215.1C(a): "The owner or operator of any wastewater collection or treatment works, the operation of which is primarily to collect or treat municipal or domestic wastewater and for which a permit is issued under this Part and having an average annual flow greater than 200,000 gallons per day, shall provide to the users or customers of the collection system or treatment works and to the Department an annual report that summarizes the performance of the collection system or treatment works and the extent to which the collection system or treatment works has violated the permit or federal or State laws, regulations, or rules related to the protection of water quality. The report shall be prepared on either a calendar or fiscal year basis and shall be provided no later than 60 days after the end of the calendar or fiscal year."

• News page · Required by law (WQCS00001)

  News page behind a bot check; not read

  G.S. 143-215.1C(b)(1): press release to all print and electronic news media covering the county within 24 hours after the owner or operator determines that 1,000 gallons or more of untreated wastewater reached surface waters

• News page · Required by law

  Printed or broadcast notice not read

  G.S. 143-215.1C(b)(2): "In the event of a discharge of 15,000 gallons or more of untreated wastewater to the surface waters of the State, publish a notice of the discharge in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the discharge occurs and in each county downstream from the point of discharge that is significantly affected by the discharge." The notice is captioned "NOTICE OF DISCHARGE OF UNTREATED SEWAGE" and published within 10 days after the Secretary approves its form, content and newspapers

• News page · Required by law

  Printed or broadcast notice not read

  G.S. 143-215.1C(b)(1): "In the event of a discharge of 1,000 gallons or more of untreated wastewater to the surface waters of the State, issue a press release to all print and electronic news media that provide general coverage in the county where the discharge occurred setting out the details of the discharge. The owner or operator shall issue the press release within 24 hours after the owner or operator has determined that the discharge has reached the surface waters of the State."

Source: Charlotte Water's public notice and alert pages and the state's notification records; DirtyWaterWatch register of public-notice channels and its page monitor.

Report a missing notice or error

Wastewater outlets

Outfall: a pipe or outlet where wastewater enters a water body.

20 treatment plant outfalls listed by EPA or state agencies; 346 places named in its own overflow reports (provisional locations).

Reports and advisories

Sanitary sewer overflow (SSO): sewage spills from a sewer meant to carry sewage separately from rainwater.

Sources: NC DEQ DWR "SSOs and Bypasses" ArcGIS layer, retrieved 2026-11-05 01:08 UTC. A report's record id and times show when you hover or focus its "report" link.

Download these reports as CSV

All reports in North Carolina by year: 2026 (90 from Charlotte Water) · 2025 (108 from Charlotte Water) · 2024 (80 from Charlotte Water) · 2023 (71 from Charlotte Water) · 2022 (28 from Charlotte Water)

Other sewer operators on these waters

• Catawba River, NC: City of Belmont, City of Gastonia, City of Hickory, City of Lowell, City of Morganton, High Shoals State Street WWTP, Town of Valdese, Lincoln County, Town of Granite Falls, City of Marion, City of Mount Holly
• Irwin Creek, NC: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
• Lake Norman, NC: Lincoln County, Town of Mooresville, City of Hickory, City of Lincolnton, Birch and Held LLC
• Lake Wylie, NC: Havenpark Communities, City of Belmont
• Doby Creek, NC: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
• Fites Creek, NC: City of Belmont
• North Fork Crooked Creek, NC: Union County
• West Branch Rocky River, NC: Town of Mooresville
• Beaverdam Creek, NC: City of Mount Holly

The last 90 days

Reported discharges over time