Treatment, between raw water intake and distribution, is the mid-point. CMUD technicians seek to keep the system in balance, with enough water flowing in and being treated to meet demand. It's crucial to know the community's pattern of use. But within this larger cycle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has its own rhythm. During the summer, water use peaks on the weekend, typically at 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
People come home from the beach or other destinations and prepare for the work week.
They wash themselves, the kids, the car, the dog, the laundry, and water the lawn. It couldn't have happened at a better time. A 6-inch pipe in Matthews cracked one recent evening, after dinnertime but before bath time, limiting disruption. Still, the break at Willcrest Lane and Country Place Drive left about 50 homes dry. Angela Lee, CMUD's water distribution superintendent, assured them it would be soon.