Plans for Craven water expansion continue

Craven County commissioners received a positive update about a water supply expansion project during a meeting in New Bern.

Tim Baldwin of the engineering design firm McKim and Creed reported that design activities are expected to run concurrently with the environmental assessment process to move the project along faster.

The project, expected to cost about $24 million, includes construction of a new water treatment plan on Lewis Farm Road near Carolina Pines off U.S. 70 west of Havelock.

A 2002 state order for 14 counties to reduce the amount of water taken from the Black Creek Aquifer by 75 percent before 2018 necessitated the project.

Craven County met its first 25 percent reduction deadline. The county does not expect to meet the second 25 percent reduction target of 2013 but does have a state waiver.

In 2011, the county delayed moves to build the plant with the hope it could negotiate a long-term agreement with city of New Bern to buy water for distribution to county water users. An agreement could not be reached.

Officials said the final 25 percent reduction should be met with the new plan now that would drill wells into the Castle Hayne Aquifer and take that water to the new water treatment plant.

Water from the Castle Hayne will require treatment by a nanofiltration water plant, unlike the water Craven County pulls from the Black Creek and PeeDee aquifers.

Commissioners met in executive session Jan. 17 and again on Jan. 20 to discuss land acquisition for 12 smaller parcels to use for pumping stations for the system.

The county water system enterprise fund has part of the money saved for the project but will have to borrow about $15 million for the expansion.

Baldwin said plans would be ready to submit for permit applications by February of 2013.