Water

Comprised of approximately 350 main lines, the Caldwell County water distribution system serves approximately 8,900 active connections. The system is so expansive that it actually considered four separate systems by the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources and is assigned four different system identification numbers.

The County Water Systems provide service from the Catawba River in the southern end of the county to Patterson in the northern end of the county and from the Little River and Kings Creek areas in the eastern end of the county to Collettsville in the western end of the county.

The county’s operation is a “purchase system” meaning all water is purchased from other entities that own and operate water treatment facilities. The county does not own any water treatment facilities. Caldwell County purchases the water from three different suppliers, the City of Lenoir, the Town of Granite Falls and the City of Hickory.

The Caldwell County Water Department’s billing division, individually reads each water meter and bills every water customer on a monthly basis.