Canton seeks operators for wastewater plant
The wastewater treatment plant at the old paper mill site in Canton has been a topic of major concern since early 2023.
File photo
When the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill in Canton closed after more than a century of operations in June 2023, the shockwaves went far beyond the hundreds of workers who lost their jobs.
The closure of the 115-year-old plant left behind an enormous industrial footprint in the heart of town, a community reeling from impending economic collapse and a wastewater treatment system that had been built to serve the mill rather than the municipality. More than two years later, the consequences are still unfolding, and Canton is now seeking outside operators to manage the oversized facility as it works toward a permanent solution.
“This is just the next step in what we’ve been talking about,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “We’re going to control our own destiny with wastewater, but we have to look at all the possibilities to run wastewater and run it as safely, cheaply and efficiently as possible.”
The town issued a notice earlier this month inviting certified contract operators to submit letters of interest by Sept. 30. The wastewater treatment plant, constructed in the 1960s to process industrial effluent from the mill, had in the past treated up to 30 million gallons a day.
Since the mill closed, daily flow has fallen to around 1.2 million gallons. That figure includes not only municipal sewage but also stormwater, landfill leachate and remnants of mill wastewater still running through the system.
The imbalance between plant capacity and actual demand is a costly problem. Oversized infrastructure requires more energy, more staffing and more maintenance than a right-sized system would.
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Canton officials say upgrades are inevitable, with the town considering a purchase of the plant and design work for a retrofit possibly beginning in 2026.
Another option on the table is to replace the existing facility with a modular packaged plant more in line with the town’s current and future needs. Until those choices are made, the town wants a professional operator to bridge the gap but hasn’t ruled out hiring town employees to do it.
“We may,” Smathers said. “But is it cheaper and better not to do it that way?”
Smathers reiterated his top priority was that the plant was run well — and run safely — but payroll costs, insurance and staff time managing human resources issues would all be at play if the town was to choose outside operators.
Applicants must hold the proper certifications from North Carolina’s Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission and demonstrate compliance with state rules. The town anticipates at least a one-year contract with the possibility of renewal. Copies of the existing NPDES permit will be provided to interested operators.
The request represents more than a routine procurement; it’s the latest chapter in a story that began on March 6, 2023, when Pactiv Evergreen stunned Canton with its announcement that the mill would close. The decision ended decades of papermaking in Haywood County and pulled one of the region’s largest taxpayers and water users out of the local economy. When the mill’s whistle blew for the last time that June, Canton faced the immediate challenge of not just job loss but also who would control, pay for and maintain the wastewater plant.
For decades, the mill ran the facility, treating both its own industrial waste and the town’s sewage. The arrangement insulated Canton from the full cost of operating such a large plant.
Then came Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The storm inundated Western North Carolina, straining infrastructure across the region and highlighting the vulnerability of Canton’s aging plant. Recovery costs mounted and the town’s already thin resources were stretched further.
With Pactiv gone, officials scrambled to negotiate a temporary contract with Eric Spirtas, the mill parcel’s new owner, to keep the plant running while they weighed long-term options.
A breakthrough came on Jan. 10, 2025, when Spirtas purchased the mill property. The sale ended Pactiv’s presence in Canton and set the stage for demolition and eventual redevelopment of the sprawling site. For the town, the purchase also opened the door to a deal for the wastewater plant footprint.
In June, Canton moved forward with a plan to acquire about 35 acres of west-side property, including the treatment plant, as part of its long-term wastewater resiliency strategy. Around the same time, state lawmakers approved a Hurricane Helene relief bill that included $16 million to help Canton secure the land. Local leaders described the appropriation as a critical investment in both infrastructure and economic recovery.
Even with those steps, challenges remain. The current plant is not only too large but also outdated. Bringing it into compliance with modern standards will be expensive, and building a new facility from scratch could cost tens of millions of dollars. Either path will take years to complete, during which Canton must keep the existing system operating safely and legally.
Canton cannot afford to risk service disruptions or regulatory violations as it navigates the transition and by turning to professional operators now, the town hopes to stabilize the present while it plans for the future.
Town officials say they reserve the right to modify, reschedule or cancel the request.
Canton CFO Natalie Walker told The Smoky Mountain News Sept. 15 that the town is currently spending $140,000 a month on wastewater treatment.
