The Neuse Regional WASA is a cooperative partnership of water and sewer service providers formed in 2000 to develop regional solutions for meeting future resource needs. Current members include the Town of Ayden, Bell Arthur Water Corporation, Deep Run Water Corporation, Eastern Pines Water Corporation, Town of Grifton, City of Kinston, North Lenoir Water Corporation, and the Town of Pink Hill. Each WASA member appoints one or more members to the Board of Directors, which is the WASA’s decision-making body.
What is the Purpose of the WASA?
The initial purpose of the WASA is to develop a new water supply source for the region. As a regional commercial and business center, Lenoir County, Pitt County, and surrounding areas have seen and continue to see increased water demands. At the same time, regional groundwater supplies are being depleted due to overuse. The yields of existing area wells are decreasing, and as a result, the State of North Carolina is stepping in to regulate the allowable rate of groundwater withdrawals. The goal of these regulations, called the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area Rules, is to limit groundwater withdrawals to a sustainable rate. This will allow the groundwater aquifers to replenish themselves, thus providing a reliable, high quality source of water for years to come.
How Will Our Region Meet Its Future Water Supply Needs?
In 2000, the WASA, working in conjunction with Lenoir County, commissioned a regional water supply study to determine the best means of meeting future water supply shortages. The recommended solution to meeting this challenge is to continue to use a safe amount of groundwater in conjunction with developing a new water supply, the Neuse River. The river provides an abundant source of water that can be treated using state-of-the-art technology to produce high quality drinking water. By continuing to use groundwater to the degree possible while supplementing this supply with abundant surface water, the WASA can meet the region’s long-term water supply needs reliably and cost-effectively.
A state-of-the-art water treatment plant is currently under construction. Upon completion in 2008, it will produce up to 15 million gallons of water per day. In addition, over 70 miles of water transmission mains are being constructed across Lenoir and Pitt counties to carry treated water to each member agency’s water distribution system.
How Are the WASA’s Programs Funded?
The WASA receives revenues through member contributions, which are proportionate to the number of customers served by each member. Therefore, costs are shared equitably based on the benefits received. The WASA is funding ongoing design and construction work through grants and low-interest loans from the USDA, State of North Carolina, USEPA, The Rural Center, Tobacco Trust Fund, and other local sources and funding is being sought for future projects.
Through funding assistance and active attention to cost controls, the WASA seeks to control any future impacts on customer water and sewer rates.
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