Water District |
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By NICOLE CARTRETTE Tommy Huffman hopes one day soon he will be able to drink tap water that flows from his faucet. He buys bottled water for drinking, and he is not alone. About 300 of his neighbors in the Acme-Delco-Riegelwood area have joined him in signing up for county water service expanding to the eastern portion of Columbus County, but more sign-ups are needed. Over the past six years, Huffman and others have gathered petitions and spoken numerous times before the Columbus County Board of Commissioners about rusty and salty water found in many of the private wells in the area. While commissioners voted more than a year ago to expand Water District IV to the area, the board has promised the system won’t go in the ground if it can’t be self-supporting. Despite 340 residents who have signed on to the system and more than 160 existing customers, Public Utilities Director Leroy Sellers says about 150 additional customers are needed to keep the system financially viable. That figure (150) is about half of the 304 customers along the proposed lines who have not signed on to the system. “We need a total of about 650,” Sellers said, pointing out that preliminary engineering reports have been redrawn to include high density areas and make the system as viable as possible. “We need these densities,” Sellers said, “This will work if we get the sign-ups.” Huffman said the water infrastructure will run along portions of U.S. 74-76 and play an important role in future growth and the area’s ability to attract new industry. Huffman, who has served for two years on the county water advisory board and assisted in hosting community water sign-up drives at local churches, said people should take advantage of the reduced tap-on fee of $100. “There have been a lot of different rumors,” Huffman said, stating that some residents who need quality water are skeptical about signing on to the system. Part of that fear is from the fate of two other county water districts that lack the usage needed to be self-supporting. In Water Districts I and II, special taxes are levied to meet the systems’ expenses. Commissioners have said this district and another one planned for the southern portion of the county near the Tabor City, Dothan and Guideway areas will have a better fate because of more careful planning and attention to densities. The county recently voted to purchase an option on a 1.2-acre tract of land along Old Lake Road for the purpose of drilling a test well. The test well is expected to be drilled this week, Sellers said. If the site proves to be acceptable, the county has agreed to purchase it for just under $20,000 (including the option). Most of the funding for the project has come from low interest N.C. Rural Center loans and grants. If the funding was not used the county was in danger of losing it. A site for a water tank has not been selected but engineers and county staff are hopeful the tower can be sited on school property. Sellers said people in District IV who can’t pay right now can agree to sign on to the system. It is basically paperwork that says they will follow and abide by the rules, Sellers explained. Additional customers are needed along the following roads: Andrew Jackson Highway East, Applewhite Rd., Big Branch, Bismark, Brinkley, Burnham, Carroll, Christian, Cronly, Delco Cemetary, Dew Oil Plant, General Howe, Gus Bryant, Hamburg, N.C. 87, Justice Flynn, Kaiser, Leonard, Livingston Hills, Neils Eddy, Old 87, Old Lake, Old Stage, Page Meadow, Peterson, Riegel Golf Course, Sand Hole, Shaw, South Front, TV Tower, and Water Tank roads. |
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