MEDIA RELEASE
BOLIVIA, N.C. – The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of property today to be used as a future raw water reservoir, taking another step toward strengthening and increasing our community’s access to vital drinking water.
The tract encompasses about 380 acres in the Leland area near the Northwest Water Treatment Plant. The land’s proximity to the County’s largest water plant coupled with its history as a quarry makes it an ideal location for a water reservoir.
“This is a forward-thinking, long-term investment to bolster and secure our county’s access to our most important resource on earth,” Chairman Mike Forte said. “Having a water reservoir means that in the event of an unforeseen emergency, drought, or temporary water shortage, we will have back-up water supply for all our residents and businesses."
A lake already exists on about 50 to 60 acres of the old quarry site with room to expand, however a majority of the parcel is undeveloped and forested. The County will keep the area wooded as it transitions to a reservoir site.
“Because of the growth and development in this particular area of the county, this property may have one day been developed into a major planned unit development,” County Manager Steve Stone said. “Instead, this location will be used to support important public health and quality of life needs while preserving its natural identity.”
The negotiated purchase price for the parcel (Parcel 01000003) totals $8,741,778. Of that amount, $241,778 is for the timber on the property so that it will remain wooded.
The installation of necessary infrastructure like pumps and pipes will need to occur before the reservoir can be placed into service. The County will provide updates on the status of the reservoir as the project moves forward.
“We appreciate our team’s foresightedness in this effort, which will benefit all our water customers countywide for decades to come,” Forte added.
Benefits of the Future Raw Water Reservoir
- Continue to supply water to the Northwest Water Treatment Plant in the event that the Kings Bluff raw water transmission system or pump station goes out of service
- Maintain water supply for the county in the event of a contaminant spill in the Cape Fear River
- Supplement water supply for the county in the event that drought conditions reduce the available water yield from the river
- Stabilize the raw water supply from the Kings Bluff transmission system, helping to increase the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer (LCFWSA) system capacity from peak to average daily capacity, which is currently 96 million gallons per day (MGD)
The Board of Commissioners entered into closed session during the regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20 to discuss the potential purchase. The Board tabled the discussion and recessed the meeting until Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., where the Board returned to closed session. The Board unanimously approved the purchase after returning from closed session.
In addition to this reservoir project, Brunswick County is also expanding water capacity and installing a low-pressure reverse osmosis water treatment system at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant to support current and future growth in the water system. All of Brunswick County's water customers and wholesale municipal water customers receive either all or part of their water from the Northwest Water Treatment Plant.
The project will increase the plant’s capacity from 24 MGD to 48 MGD and will provide a low-pressure reverse osmosis treatment capacity of no less than 36 MGD. Low-pressure reverse osmosis is considered the most advanced and effective method to treat and remove both regulated and unregulated materials like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. The project contractor estimates the project will be completed by September 2026.
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