Smithfield – The Smithfield Town Council has awarded their first bid for the expansion of the Smithfield Water Plant on Hospital Road. The plant will undergo a two year expansion beginning in 2019 to accommodate future growth in Smithfield, plus additional water capacity to the County of Johnston, which has an agreement to purchase water from the Town.
The existing water plant is permitted to produce about 6 million gallons per day of treated water but studies and projections show the demand will exceed the Town’s ability to produce reliable water in the near future. Due to growth, the plant is currently projected to exceed 80 percent of its capacity within 16 months.
The Council awarded a $1.37 million contract to The Wooten Company of Raleigh to design the project.
At the June 5th town council meeting, Public Utilities Director Ted Credle told elected officials by expanding the water plant now, the Town will avoid any potential water shortages, provide a reliable source of water for expected growth, while having a modern plant that should produce reliable supplies of water for the foreseeable future.
Credle said the goal is to have all permits in hand by the end of 2018.
