A split-screen of three photographs, one of a pump station in Lake Lure, NC, before Hurricane Helene, one after, and one after repairs — L-R: Influent pump station over Broad River before Hurricane Helene, after Hurricane Helene, and after repairs post-Helene

Lake Lure Wastewater Treatment Plant Influent Pump Station Replacement Post-Hurricane Helene

Teamwork and Rapid Response After Hurricane Helene Restores Vital Infrastructure in Lake Lure

On Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought devastating flooding to communities in western North Carolina. According to the Carolina Public Press in November 2024, the storm would cost North Carolina more than $53.6 billion, with the Town of Lake Lure sustaining inexplicable damage.

Helene’s Destruction
The Town owns and operates the 100-year-old Lake Lure Dam, which maintains Lake Lure’s water levels within inches of normal pool elevation, even during a 100-year flood. During Helene, floodwater overwhelmed the dam’s spillways, raising the lake more than eight feet and overtopping seven of the dam’s ten emergency “barrels”.

The Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), located approximately 1,600 feet downstream of the dam, was flooded by what has been characterized as a 1,000-year event. The WWTP was rendered inoperable and the Influent Pump Station (IPS), situated in the shadow of the dam, was destroyed.

A Rapid Response
Urgency was paramount—the entirety of the Town’s raw wastewater was discharging directly into the Broad River. LaBella Associates was onsite the next day, laying out an emergency bypass and IPS replacement strategy. The Town granted LaBella permission to coordinate permitting and procurement. Three days after the storm, all suppliers were engaged. One week after the flood, all material and equipment were ordered, and the Town had engaged Morgan Corp. to build the new IPS.

Within seven weeks of the flood, a new at-grade triplex submersible station, piping, and valves were designed and constructed to replace the previous above-ground triplex suction-lift IPS. The low profile of this permanent pump station replacement solution minimizes the risk for future storm damage. Electrical installation was completed seven weeks later. After final regulatory approvals, the system was put into service in February 2025. With wastewater no longer entering the Broad River, the public’s health and safety improved significantly, and resources could shift to other recovery efforts in the Town of Lake Lure, North Carolina.

$53.6B

the storm would cost the state of NC

1,000

year flood event

weeks from design through construction

Unique Project Elements

Challenges

Above all, urgency was the greatest challenge. Raw wastewater was discharging into the Broad River, putting public health and safety at extreme risk. Teamwork proved to be the quickest and most effective solution. The Town trusted LaBella—their On-Call Consultant since 2020—to take immediate action on its behalf, including regulatory coordination, design decisions, and procurement.

Power and telecommunications outages were widespread, and communication with Town staff was hindered. The proper procurement process with equipment and material suppliers was impeded. On the Town’s behalf, LaBella coordinated with suppliers, functioning as the Procurement Manager for emergency purchases of an IPS bypass pump, precast concrete structures, permanent pumps and controls, and valves. In three days following the storm, all suppliers were engaged. The suppliers trusted the Owner/Engineer partnership, and, in many cases, agreed to finalize and ship orders ahead of receiving formal purchase orders. They expedited and adjusted orders and deliveries as the design progressed. One week after the flood, all material and equipment had been ordered.

Project Approach

A true emergency—the project was a prime opportunity to expedite design and construction using a Design/Build approach. Using this approach, LaBella (Designer) coordinated permitting and design while Morgan Corp. (Construction Manager) deployed a team to the site. Adjustments were made in the field as design progressed. As a result, the pump station was designed, constructed, and awaiting regulatory approval in just 14 weeks.

Quality

While design, procurement, and construction moved quickly, quality and craftsmanship were never overlooked. LaBella has extensive experience with wastewater pump station design and prior knowledge of quality products, such as the pumps and valves specified in the design. This moved design forward swiftly (in approximately two weeks) without sacrificing quality.