Harnett County approves engineering work for Northeast Water Treatment Plant, discusses Anderson Creek capacity

Harnett County commissioners on Nov. 3 approved a contract to begin preliminary engineering work for a Northeast Water Treatment Plant and discussed sewer‑capacity constraints and development pressures in the Anderson Creek basin.

The board voted to contract Weston & Sampson to perform technical engineering and preliminary reports — including river surveys and other studies — to advance the design for the plant. "They're the most qualified," Tommy Burns said, describing a procurement and interview process that identified Weston & Sampson as having strong knowledge of the county’s system. Environmental, boundary and wetland studies on the project site are complete, Burns said, and the contract will fund the next phase of technical work on a compressed schedule.

Separately, commissioners approved a motion to install roughly 450 linear feet of water and sewer from St. Matthews Road toward the Dunn city limits in Erwin to support an economic‑development opportunity. The mover and the board said the estimate of approximately 450 feet was based on on‑site measurements by staff and that the extension is intended to provide immediate service tied to potential commercial development.

Commissioners and staff also discussed long‑running capacity questions at Anderson Creek. Burns said that Frize & Nichols is conducting a comprehensive sewer‑capacity study of the basin and expected to finish the study in December with a full report to the board in January. Staff said the county has approved two additional development phases that can be accommodated in the near term while the study is completed, and that options in the study will identify whether improvements should be funded by the developer or by Harnett Regional Water (HRW) and the county.

Staff noted prior litigation involving the development had been settled under a previously entered settlement agreement, and said HRW believes it has met its obligations under that agreement. The county also reported work to redirect some flow along Highway 87 as part of broader improvements affecting the basin and said engineers will study reuse of an abandoned force main as a possible eight‑inch line.

Commissioners asked staff to return with the completed capacity study and recommendations before committing to major construction. The county said it is balancing developer timelines and economic opportunity with the need to protect existing customers and to clearly delineate which costs would be borne by ratepayers versus developers.

The board approved the Weston & Sampson contract and the Erwin line extension by voice vote.