Curious how water from the Eno River is cleaned for drinking or how wastewater is treated before it’s sent back to the river? Tour the treatment plants!

The Hillsborough Utilities Department offers free tours of the water and wastewater treatment plants. A public tour at each plant will be offered at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. Choose one plant to tour in September and plan to check out the other plant by catching the next public tour on March 13, 2026.

Tours are 1.5 hours long for the water plant and 2 hours for the wastewater plant. Sign up by Sept. 11 for either tour by completing the Utilities Tour Request form. 

Additionally, tours are offered privately and for free to small groups throughout the year. Those interested in a small-group tour also are encouraged to complete the Utilities Tour Request form.

Tour participants must be at least 10 years old. Adults must bring to the tour a valid identification card, which can be a current passport, driver’s license or state- or county-issued identification card.

The tours involve walking up and down slopes and steps and entering rooms with chemicals, wet areas, noises and odors. Rooms may not have heating or air conditioning. Those with mobility issues may not be able to complete the tour; however, a private visit may be scheduled to discuss the facilities and operations and to see areas that are accessible.

More information about the town’s treatment plants and utilities operations, including annual reports, is available at hillsboroughnc.gov/utilities.