Metropolitan Sewerage District

The Metropolitan Sewerage District (MSD) is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. The District was created and established in 1962 by the North Carolina State Stream Sanitation Committee for the purpose of constructing and operating facilities for the treatment and disposal of the sewage generated by the political subdivisions comprising the District.

The MSD is a public body and body politic and corporate of the State of North Carolina, exercising public and essential governmental functions and organized under the provisions of the North Carolina Metropolitan Sewerage Districts Act, being Article 5, Chapter 162A of the General Statutes of North Carolina, as amended. The District is comprised of the following political subdivisions located within Buncombe County:

City of Asheville
Town of Montreat
Beaverdam Water & Sewer District
Enka-Candler Water & Sewer District
Town of Biltmore Forest
Fairview Sanitary Sewer District
Town of Black Mountain
Skyland Sanitary Sewer District
Busbee Sanitary Sewer District
Swannanoa Water & Sewer District
Caney Valley Sanitary Sewer District
Woodfin Sanitary Water & Sewer District
Crescent Hill Sanitary Sewer District
Town of Weaverville
Venable Sanitary District
Town of Woodfin

The governing board (District Board) has a strategic plan for the future of the MSD and the budgetary process incorporates management by objectives. The District's management team and employees carry out the goals and objectives and policies as set by the District Board. The budget process provides the tool to translate planning objectives into work objectives on an annual basis.

The District Board consists of twelve members. Three from the County of Buncombe, three from the City of Asheville, one from Woodfin Sanitary Water & Sewer District, and one each from the Towns of Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville and Woodfin.

The District owns, operates and maintains a 40 million gallon per day (MGD) wastewater treatment plant to treat raw sewage and industrial wastewaters collected in an extensive network (approximately 750 miles) of collector sewers currently owned, operated and maintained by the District pursuant to the consolidation agreements signed on July 2, 1990. The District also owns, operates and maintains approximately 60 miles of interceptor sewers that connect such sewers to the treatment plant.

The Elk Mountain Steam Plant was built on the banks of the French Broad River by Captain W.T. Weaver, who also built the Craggy Dam and Marshall Hydroelectric Plants to supply electric power throughout the Asheville area. In 1926 CP&L took ownership of the Plant. An active coal fired, steam power generator from 1916 to 1954, Elk Mountain went on standby status until 1964.

Burlington Mills purchased the plant in conjunction with its nearby mill and mill village and used the plant for some minor manufacturing and storage until the early 1990's. Unfortunately, in 1980 the original smokestack was demolished. The property was purchased from Burlington Mills by a group of investors who converted the vacant mill into a mixed use commercial center called Riverside Business Park . The Park, which is still in operation, consists of a series of shops and businesses. The Steam Plant, which was located on the mill property, was not part of the Park conversion.

In the mid 1990's, Ben Slosman, a local leader, real estate developer, member of the Metropolitan Sewerage District Board, and an advocate for cost-effective building reclamation brought to the board, the vision of purchasing and renovating the vacant Steam Plant for use as its centralized offices. At that time, the MSD was operating out of five different locations spread throughout the area. Mr. Slosman argued that the plant was in a central location, was an important part of local history, and could accommodate the needs of the MSD offices. The Board agreed with Mr. Slosman's vision and purchased the plant and some adjacent property in 1996 for $425,000. The rehabilitation and retrofit took nearly two years and was dedicated in honor of long-time executive director, William H. Mull. Mr. Slosman passed away in 2000 and never saw his dream through to completion. The project has been widely hailed as a success, creating a much more efficient operation of the MSD. Its retention saved an important piece of the area's built environment and has provided a first class facility and unique working environment that is greatly appreciated by both employees and visitors who come to transact business.