A request to permanently take 6.17 million gallons a day (MGD) from the Cape Fear River is facing opposition from local officials, leaders and organizations in Southeastern North Carolina.

According to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), the town of Fuquay-Varina is seeking an Interbasin Transfer Certificate (IBT) to take 6.17 MGD from the river for the town’s use without replacing it.

The town, in its proposal, said it currently purchases wholesale water from Raleigh, Harnett County and Johnston County, but said the supply would not be able to meet demands in the future.

The town began exploring using water from the Cape Fear River in 2020. According to a letter sent to the town in 2021, there were three public meetings on the plan in Cary, Chatham County and Fayetteville. The letter said a summary of public comments suggested there was “general opposition” to transferring water and residents believed a “massive amount of water was being stolen from the Cape Fear Water.”

The Cape Fear River is a source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people in North Carolina. The amount of water Fuquay-Varina is asking to use would be enough to fill 102,000 bathtubs every day or nearly match the reflecting pool of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) and the North Carolina Wildlife Commission also expressed concern about the plan. FPWC said that while they are not completely opposed to Fuquay-Varina using water from the Cape Fear River, they want the water returned in a reasonable timeframe to ensure other areas can use it.

“If approved, PWC could have to go to Drought Level One conservation measures on day one because of the reduction in water flow, even if our area is not in a drought,” FPWC said on its website. “Less water also means less dilution of contaminants from upstream. This would require downstream communities to invest millions of dollars in additional water and wastewater treatment.”

FPWC also said they supply up to 8 million gallons of water per day to Fort Bragg. They said the aproval of Fuquay-Varina’s request could make it more difficult to supply the Army installation with water.

According to CFPUA, more than 20 municipalities, utilities, businesses and environmental groups have already opposed the plan through letters and formal comments. Some of the groups opposed to the plan include:

  • New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.
  • Town of Wrightsville Beach.
  • Brunswick County Board of Commissioners.
  • N.C. Conservation Network.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality said there will be two more public hearings for the draft environmental impact statements. The meetings are planned for Dec. 9 and Dec. 11.

The Dec. 9 meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the ground-floor hearing room of the Archdale Building on North Salisbury Street in Raleigh. The Dec. 9 meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro.