Public Works Commission

Located at 955 Old Wilmington Road, the 65-acre PWC campus is the central location for all PWC operating and administrative functions. This centralization of non-plant facilities lends itself to efficiency and effectiveness within manpower requirements, equipment utilization, materials management, information flow, customer service, security, and control of operations. Facilities at the PWC Complex include the Operations Center, Administrative Building, Customer Payment Center, Fleet Management, Electronic Fuel Islands, Warehouse and Storage Yard, Electric Meter Shop, Apparatus Repair Shop, Water Meter Shop, Utility Field Services, Electric Systems Support, Water/Wastewater Facilities Maintenance, and Vehicle/Small Equipment Storage Sheds.

The current NC Plumbing Code in conjunction with the NC General Statutes Governing Public Water Supplies require lawn irrigation systems be equipped with a backflow preventer to protect our drinking water from chemicals present on irrigated areas. The City of Fayetteville's Cross Connection Control Ordinance, created through PWC and City collaboration, helps ensure compliance with state law and to ensure the quality of drinking water for safety reasons. Property owners are responsible for owning and maintaining the backflow devices while PWC is responsible for ensuring that the backflow device is in working condition.

PWC's electric system ensures that electric energy that is purchased from energy suppliers, and that which is generated at PWC's own generation plant, is safely and efficiently delivered to its customers at competitive rates. PWC currently purchases electricity from Duke Energy Progress (DEP) and from the Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA). In addition, PWC has the distinction of being the only municipal utility in North Carolina to own and operate an electric generation plant. This plant is known as the Butler-Warner Generation Plant (BWGP), in honor of Robert H. Butler and James R. Warner, former chairmen of the Commission.

Are trees / limbs trimmed on the secondary (service drop) lines that run from the street to the customer's house? No - these lines are usually insulated and they do not require maintenance unless a limb is putting substantial pressure on the line and rubbing the insulation off the wire. Secondary (service drop) lines are accessed and maintained during routine maintenance on a 3 to 5 year rotation. If I need my secondary (service drop) line temporarily disconnected for tree / limb removal, what procedures do I need to follow?

Please keep in mind that our call and in-person visit volume is high around the first of every month and on Mondays and Fridays. Our Call Center is open 8am-8pm, Monday-Friday. Customers with separate lawn irrigation meters are required by state and local regulations to have backflow protectors on their irrigation system that routinely inspected. PWC has authorized contractors to test and repair backflow protectors. Irrigation customers are billed a small fee monthly to cover the costs associated with these inspections and maintenance.

At PWC, we know the citizens of Fayetteville and the surrounding areas are proud of their urban forests. We also know that power outages are an inconvenience to our customers. But when trees compete with overhead power lines, the outcome could be "shocking" - especially in the case of downed power lines associated with overgrown or fallen trees. Line Clearance / Vegetation Management is an essential part of PWC's power line maintenance to ensure safe, reliable electrical service. Our work is concentrated mostly on clearing transmission and distribution circuits.