County holds public hearing on proposed Chinpag Road lift station and $19.3M state loan

Durham County staff held a public hearing on the Chinpag Road lift station and associated force and gravity mains, describing the project as necessary to increase sewer capacity in the Stirrup Iron Creek basin and to remove an abandoned lift station from a floodplain.

"The Chinpei Drive Lift station project entails construction of a 10,200,000 gallon per day lift station, approximately 1,000 feet of 30 inches gravity sewer ... and the project is being funded in part by NCDEQ division of water infrastructure via clean water state revolving fund loan in the amount of $19,298,025," utilities staff told the board. Staff said the board previously approved appropriating $1,875,250 of the sewer utility enterprise fund for pre‑construction services, loan fees and contingency, and that no public comments were received during the published comment period.

Board members asked how long construction would take and whether the new station would meet build‑out projections contained in the county’s comprehensive plan. Utilities staff said the station is being designed for the land‑use projections and that the station could come online in roughly 2.5 years; staff added that detailed design work and cost estimates will be refined as the design‑build process proceeds. Commissioners emphasized this as an economic development and capacity project for the Research Triangle Park area and asked staff to explore financing and community‑benefit strategies for future infrastructure needs.