Caldwell County candidates say they will oppose Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Catawba River transfer request

Asked how Caldwell County would respond if Charlotte-Mecklenburg sought to withdraw as much as 30 million gallons per day from the Catawba River, candidates described a regional effort to oppose or reduce the request.

"It's called the interbasin water transfer," said incumbent commissioner michael bros., describing the matter as "in litigation" and saying that the Western Piedmont Council of Governments "is kind of being the spearhead for that." He said counties along the river are coordinating and that legal and legislative tools have been used to make transfers more difficult.

Several candidates echoed his remarks. Donnie Potter said he has attended public meetings on the issue and that the county remains "up to speed"; Jeremy Binge, who lives on the Johns River, said local river levels have declined and called the proposal "something" the public should speak out against. Candidates said contingency conversations are underway but acknowledged there is no fully developed local contingency plan at the forum.

Candidates also described the practical stakes: lower lake levels can affect intake systems at places such as Lake Hickory and local water reliability during droughts. "We're gonna fight it with everything we've got," michael bros. said, describing litigation and regional coordination as the county’s main line of defense.

What happened at the forum: candidates described ongoing litigation and regional advocacy but did not announce specific, county-adopted contingency measures. Several speakers asked residents to stay informed and to participate in public meetings and advocacy led by regional organizations.

What to watch next: outcome of interbasin-transfer litigation, any formal actions by the Western Piedmont Council of Governments or the General Assembly, and whether the county commission adopts a contingency plan.