Pender County to allocate $725,000 to install filtration at Hampstead-area wells after water-quality complaints
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Summary
County staff recommended and the board approved moving $725,000 into a project fund to buy and install filtration units (Aldex-style resin media) at groundwater wells feeding the Hampstead area after persistent iron, manganese and taste-and-odor problems and elevated disinfection byproduct risks.
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. June 16, 2025 Pender County commissioners approved a $725,000 project fund allocation June 16 to purchase and install filtration units on several Hampstead-area groundwater wells, county staff said, following repeated "brown water" complaints and regulatory concerns about disinfection byproducts.
Background: County utilities staff told the board the water distribution system has relied in part on groundwater wells drilled in 2019-2020 to supplement surface water supplies. Those wells have shown elevated iron and manganese levels in raw water samples (presented test values ranged from about 0.86 mg/L to above 1.36 mg/L in some wells), higher than secondary maximum contaminant levels for aesthetic parameters. County staff explained that dissolved iron and manganese increase chlorine demand and can form trihalomethanes (TTHMs) when chlorine reacts with inorganics in water distribution systems.
Options evaluated: Utilities staff and consultants tested several technical options: ongoing oxidation with polyphosphates (currently used), granular activated carbon in the current plant, green-sand/anthracite filtration (large vessels requiring building expansions and double chlorine dosing) and Aldex resin media (smaller vessels that can be retrofitted into existing well rooms).
Board action and cost: Staff recommended Aldex media units because they fit the existing buildings with less new construction and provide the chemical removal needed. The board approved creating a project fund of $725,000 drawn from FY24-25 contracted-services budget lines to purchase and install filtration for up to five wells (estimated equipment purchase $685,000 and $40,000 contingency). The board voted in favor.
Benefits: Staff said the filtration would remove iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide; reduce chlorine demand and trihalomethane formation; improve taste and odor; reduce pipe scaling and leaching; and reduce chemical operating costs. The proposal would also allow the county to reduce weekly chlorine feed amounts and lower the operational complexity of blending long-distance surface water with local groundwater.
Why it matters: Residents in Hampstead and surrounding subdivisions have reported intermittent brown water discoloration and related service complaints for months. County utilities staff said the project will improve water reliability and regulatory compliance for a growing portion of Pender County.
Next steps: Staff will open procurement, seek vendors and return to the board with a purchase recommendation and project schedule. Staff said the allocation will be set up in a project fund so dollars can be carried forward until installation is complete.
