The ball is now in Robbins’ court when it comes to working out a water deal with Moore County.
The County Board of Commissioners and Robbins’ Town Commissioners met in a joint session on Monday, April 16 to discuss the possibility of using the Town’s reservoir as the centerpiece of a plan to bring more water to Southern Moore County.
Though Robbins has a reservoir and a mothballed water plant, the County's plan does not include buying either of those assets. Instead, the County wants to put its own intake in the reservoir, piping water to a brand new County water treatment plant to be located at a yet-to-be determined location in Robbins. Water treated in the plant would be piped through new water mains to connect with the County system in Seven Lakes.
Once all the new infrastructure is in place, the County hopes to place an intake in the Deep River, providing even more water to feed the plant and reservoir, which would initially pull water from a creek system.
The Cost? $29-$40 Million
That thirty-year plan could supply Moore County Public Utilities [MCPU] with the additional three million gallons per day [GPD] of water it needs to meet projected peak demand in 2032. But it comes with a hefty price tag of $29 million -- and it could take anywhere from five to seven years before water is being distributed to customers.
Commissioner Tim Lea said $29 million was a conservative number, given that the County would likely need to borrow the money to fund the capital cost of the project. Lea said interest and principal together could top $40 million -- and MCPU water customers would be on the hook for that debt.
“My interest has always been trying to work something out with Robbins,” said Lea. “It gets down to how much more is it going to cost us over $40 million -- and how much more is it going to cost the rate payer.”
Public Utilities Director Randy Gould said utilizing Robbins' resources could produce an additional 3.7 million GPD, but it would also increase the average rate payer's utility bill by $15.83. The initial phase of the project would account for $8.22 of that increase; Phase 2 would add another $7.61.
Gould said the the average MCPU water bill is $53 a month, but that includes customers in Pinehurst, who are charged for both water and sewer service. The average bill in Seven Lakes maybe considerably lower, Gould told The Times on Tuesday, since Seven Lakes customers do not have sewer bills.
As the County envisions the arrangement with Robbins, the Town, which is currently buying the water for its customers from Montgomery County, would instead buy water in bulk from MCPU, and then resell that water at retail rates to homes and businesses. The impact of that arrangement on Robbins water rates was not made clear during Monday night's meeting.
“The rate payers in Moore County -- what do you think their reaction is going to be if your [Robbins] rates don’t go up at all, but their rates go up $20 to develop this water source?” Commissioner Lea asked.
The Town had previously suggested that the County purchase its reservoir and other water infrastructure -- including the old water plant, which could be brought back into service only at substantial cost.
Commissioner Nick Picerno said that acquisition was not financially feasible -- especially with the high price to get those facilities up and running.
“Right now the cost of $29 million is high," Picerno explained. "It is going to be a big burden on Public Utilities as it is, when there are other resources available. It’s not that we want to go to Harnett County . . . if we could help Robbins and become a partner -- which means both entities would have a benefit.”
Other Options
MCPU currently buys one million GPD from Harnett County and has a contract that would allow it to purchase an additional one million GPD, which would provide enough additional water to meet the projected ten-year peak demand. Utilizing that additional water would require a $1.5 million upgrade to the County's water infrastructure. Harnett County has offered Moore County the opportunity to purchase a share in a new water treatment plant, which would give the County the same amount of water that can be realized in Robbins, for half the price: $14 million.
The Harnett County option would not, however, provide the Robbins area with any additional water to meet its needs or foster economic development in northwest Moore County.
“As Moore County Commissioners, you would be willing to put $14 million into another county -- and Robbins wouldn’t even get water?” asked Robbins Town Commissioner Terri Holt. “But you're not willing to put $29 million into Robbins so the entire County can get water? That doesn’t make sense.”
“These are just options,” said County Chairman Larry Caddell. “We are just trying to be honest with you.”
“I know these are options,” said Holt. “For half the County.”
Caddell said the areas of the County expected to grow fastest in the next several decades are down NC Highway 211, from Pinehurst to Seven Lakes, and moving towards Robbins.
Commissioner Jimmy Melton said a partnership Robbins and Moore County would be in the best interest of both parties: “It can benefit the southern end of the County; but, in turn, it could benefit you tremendously with the water being here attracting new businesses.”
“All of us here are very committed to seeing our town grow as well,” said Robbins Commissioner Claire Barrow. “We all know growth is coming at us from all directions . . . Through a partnership, we want to be sure that we’re allowed to have the water capacity that we are going to need.”
Commissioner Craig Kennedy asked the Robbins Board to develop a proposal detailing what they would like to see in a partnership with the County and present that at a future meeting.
