Xylem will supply 10 pumps for use at a wastewater treatment plant for Charlotte Water in North Carolina.

Xylem's Flygt NP-3400 submersible pumps will be used to replace aging pumps at the McAlpine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant's central influent pump station. The retrofit is expected to provide the plant with a longer operating life and help reduce overall maintenance costs at the facility.

The value of the contract is around $1.5 million.

Aging infrastructure has become a pressing issue in the United States. Historically, an emphasis had been placed on the expansion of water and wastewater systems, rather than the maintenance and repair of those already in existence. As a result, communities are faced with the massive challenge of replacing critical water and wastewater infrastructure and many systems are nearing the end of their useful life.

Shifting population growth has also placed considerable strain on water and wastewater systems which today serve more than 238 million Americans. Significant growth brings with it an increase in the quantity of wastewater, stressing the need for water systems to be upgraded in order to support demand.

Charlotte Water oversees more than $200 million worth of water improvement projects each year across their five wastewater treatment plants. The McAlpine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest of five treatment plants operated by Charlotte Water. The plants treat over 85 million gallons of wastewater per day.

The retrofit of the McAlpine Wastewater Treatment Plant will be completed in phases and the project is expected to be delivered by late 2017.