Union County Interbasin Transfer Certificate Public Hearing

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, or EMC, will hold three public hearings to receive comments on its draft determination to grant an interbasin transfer (IBT) certificate to Union County. As part of its role in making rules to protect the environment, the

EMC carries out the IBT law.

 

Union County Public Works is seeking a water transfer certificate to move up to 23 million gallons of water a day from the Yadkin River basin to the Rocky River basin. The amount is calculated on an average day of the maximum month basis, based on state regulations. The amount of water the public utility is requesting to transfer is based upon 2050 water demand projections to meet anticipated growth in Union County.

The Union County Public Works Water System provides drinking water to residents in Union County, except for Monroe, and serves customers in the Catawba River basin and the Rocky River basin. Most of the water supplied by Union County comes from the Catawba River through the Catawba River Water Treatment Plant in Lancaster County, S.C.

Union county has a grandfathered transfer capacity of 5 million gallons of water a day from the Catawba River basin to the Rocky River basin. The proposed request will avoid the need for an increase in the amount transferred from the Catawba River basin. The proposed transfer will require the construction of a new water intake on Lake Tillery in the Yadkin River basin, near the location of the existing intake for Norwood.

The EMC will consider all public comments received and responses to comments prepared by N.C. Division of Water Resources’ staff when the commission makes its final determination on whether to issue a certificate for the water transfer. A final determination from the EMC is expected in early 2017.

The public can see the Union County Public Works’ draft interbasin transfer certificate at: https://deq.nc.gov/ibt-union. The document may also be viewed at the hearing or during normal business hours at the N.C. Division of Water Resources’ Raleigh offices, 512 North Salisbury St., Room 1117H.

Staff with the N.C. Division of Water Resources request that parties submit written copies of their oral comments. Based on the number of people who wish to speak, the length of oral presentations at the hearings may be limited.

People who are unable to attend can mail written comments to Kim Nimmer, Division of Water Resources, 1611 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1611. Comments may also be submitted electronically to dwr.ibt@ncdenr.gov. All comments must be postmarked or emailed by Oct. 3.