Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities Conveyance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners table decision on conveying 16-inch water main to H2Go, ask staff to seek compensation details
Summary
Brunswick County commissioners postponed action on a request by H2Go to convey a 16-inch HDPE water main under Highway 17 after questions about future county needs and compensation. The county owns the line but no longer serves Brunswick Forest.
Commissioners voted to table a request to convey a 16-inch HDPE water main under U.S. Highway 17 to H2Go, the local utility that has taken over water service in portions of Leland. The item was postponed so staff can return with more information about potential compensation and future system needs.
John (utilities staff) told the board the line was built around February 2008 by a developer to serve Brunswick Forest and was deeded to the county; H2Go now serves the area and requested the county convey the section of line so the utility can connect it to its transmission system. Staff said the line runs under Highway 17 and is roughly 380 linear feet.
Commissioners asked whether the county might need the line again for emergency interconnectivity or future service and whether compensation or purchase terms should be required. Staff said the county's engineering team could facilitate an interconnection on the opposite side of Highway 17 if needed, but noted the county currently does not use the line and said reconnection would technically be possible in the future. Several commissioners expressed concern about "giving away" county infrastructure without compensation.
Action taken: Commissioners voted to table the conveyance and instructed staff to return with options, including the possibility of remuneration and information on future operational impacts.
Why this matters: The line crosses a county-owned transportation corridor and was dedicated to the county by a developer; commissioners weighed the tradeoffs between divesting unused infrastructure, the cost and maintenance burden of retaining it, and the public-interest benefits of improved utility interconnectivity.
What comes next: Staff will return to the commission with additional information about compensation and options for preserving interconnectivity before final action.
