Nash County hears update on proposed Southern Nash regional wastewater system; PER underway

At a March 24 special meeting the Nash County Board of Commissioners received an informational update on the Southern Nash regional wastewater study. Brian Johnson of Wooten Company reviewed background, the preliminary engineering report (PER) work now under way, permitting and potential governance options, and warned the board the project will require large capital funding.

Johnson said the county received $400,000 in planning funds from the state Division of Water Infrastructure (DWI) to advance the PER. He described a tentative plant capacity of about 1,990,000 gallons per day and said the most recent capital estimate for the larger-capacity design is "we're in the neighborhood of 95 to a hundred and 15,000,000 right now is where things sit," reflecting inflation and the larger sizing compared with the prior 1.5 MGD study alternative.

The consultant described the preferred alternative from the earlier regionalization feasibility study: a new wastewater treatment plant along the Tar River serving the towns of Bailey and Middlesex, the Middlesex Corporate Park and potentially Spring Hope. Johnson said conveyance lines would pump wastewater…