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Grant: $12,000,000 |
Outline of Need: Fifteen counties in eastern North Carolina are facing serious challenges as a result of depletion of ground water reserves. In December 1998, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued a rule to regulate ground water withdrawals. The rule, known as the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area Rule went into effect August 1, 2002. The rule requires users to reduce consumption of ground water by some thirty-eight MGD, inclusive of future growth projections within certain established time frames. |
How Rural Development Helped:
The Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority was born out of this need. The Authority sought to provide an alternative water supply by constructing a water treatment plant on the Neuse River, and a distribution system to move the water to its member entities. The Authority is made up of eight entities, which supply water to 42,000 equivalent users or approximately 100,000 citizens and commercial users in two of the fifteen counties in the capacity use area. The Authority has the potential to serve others as the later stages of the Capacity Use Rule are implemented.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2003, Rural Development provided $23,000,000 and, in FY 2004, $39,000,000 for this project. Other funds totaling more than $15,000,000 is expected from federal, state, local and private sources.
The Results:
Rural Development is proud to be a part of this project, which will provide clean water, our most precious resource, to sustain life and promote economic development in eastern North Carolina.
Pictured, above: John Cooper, North Carolina Rural Development State Director; Dollie Burwell, District Director for Congressman Frank Ballance, Jr.; Wayne Miles, Project Engineer, Camp, Dresser and McKee; Janet Bradbury, Eastern Representative for Senator Elizabeth Dole; Wayne Malone, Chairman, Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority; Tom Dorr, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture; Harold Herring, Executive Director, Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority; Millie Lilley, District Director for Congressman Walter Jones, Jr.; Arthur Kennedy, Project Engineer, Wooten Company.
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