Officials say Charlotte Water’s 33 million‑gallon interbasin transfer request could rival regional daily draws; COG committee coordinating response

Hugh Sandoe, budget strategy and performance analyst for Burke County, briefed the Board of Commissioners on a multi‑county response to a Charlotte Water filing that seeks authorization to transfer 33,000,000 gallons per day out of the Catawba basin.

Sandoe told the board the request would double Charlotte’s existing allowance and is nearly equivalent to the combined current draw of nearby communities such as Morganton, Lenoir, Catawba County and Hickory, which together draw about 40,000,000 gallons per day. "This request is doubling their existing allowance of water and is almost as much as all of the communities around us are drawing today," Sandoe said.

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments has formed a regional committee including representatives from Burke, Catawba and Caldwell counties and several municipalities to advise on a coordinated response, attend Charlotte‑led community meetings, and analyze potential impacts. Sandoe said Charlotte plans to release an official environmental impact report in spring 2026 that will go to the state for review; the report will be subject to state approval, modification or denial.

County staff said Anthony Starr of the COG will present a fuller update at the regular board meeting in two weeks and that the COG committee has engaged regional partners to pursue an equitable review process. The item remained on the agenda for further briefing and possible future action.