Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No, MCRWASA does NOT provide sewer service. “Water and Sewer Authority” is a general water utility term.
MCRWASA is NOT a subset of Martin County government. The Martin County Regional Water and Sewer Authority (MCRWASA) is a partnership between its members, currently the Town of Williamston and Martin County (representing Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2). MCRWASA operates a water treatment plant that will treat water from the Roanoke River. MCRWASA sells water on a wholesale basis to its members.
The Martin County Regional Water and Sewer Authority (MCRWASA) was formed in 2007 to address the State of North Carolina’s Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA) Rules and tasked to diversify water resources in Martin County. The State’s CCPCUA rules (http://www.ncwater.org/?page=49) require many areas of Martin County to reduce their dependence and use of groundwater from the Cretaceous aquifer by up to 75%.
No. Currently, MCRWASA serves the Town of Williamston and Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2.
MCRWASA sells water on a wholesale basis to the Town of Williamston and Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2. MCRWASA has no retail customers.
The wholesale water rate for MCRWASA members [(1) the Town of Williamston and (2) Martin County, representing Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2] is $4.71 per 1,000 gallons, effective July 1, 2016. In turn, the Town of Williamston and Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2, separately and independently, include this wholesale water charge and combine it with various loan payments and other water system operation and maintenance costs to develop retail water rates to charge their water customers.
Through inter-local agreements, the Town of Williamston and Martin County have agreed to purchase 100% of their average daily demand of water from MCRWASA. This arrangement was necessary to pay for the debt service and operating expenses of the water treatment plant. The Town of Williamston and Martin County Water Districts #1 and #2 wells are maintained as a supplemental and back-up water supply.
In the late 1990s, the NC Division of Water Resources became worried about the overuse of groundwater aquifers / wells, which resulted in increasing levels of salt water seeping into our freshwater wells. Over time if this continues, the water would not be drinkable. The Environmental Management Commission designated 15 counties as the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA).
The CCPCUA rules, which create a ground water use permitting process, became effective August 1, 2002. The CCPCUA rules require water users to cut back on use of these overused aquifers and increase use of other water sources (including alternative aquifers, surface water and other sources) over a sixteen year period. All ground water users using more than 100,000 gallons per day are required to have a water use permit in order to continue withdrawing. .org/
For more information about the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA), vist the website.
The CCPCUA rules, which create a ground water use permitting process, became effective August 1, 2002. The CCPCUA rules require water users to cut back on use of these overused aquifers and increase use of other water sources (including alternative aquifers, surface water and other sources) over a sixteen year period. All ground water users using more than 100,000 gallons per day are required to have a water use permit in order to continue withdrawing. .org/
For more information about the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA), vist the website.
An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or soil from which groundwater can be extracted using a water well. Different aquifers may occur at various depths.
Yes, MCRWASA sought as much grant funding as possible to pay for the project and received about $8.4 million in grant funds. However, the total construction cost was about $27 million. Funding for the project includes: - Total of approximately $6.8 million in US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant funding, - $18.17 million in US Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan funding, - $2.013 million Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan (approximately $1,610,400 of which is designated for “principal forgiveness”, which is similar to a grant), and - $40,000 Rural Center grant.
Saltwater intrusion is the movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, which can lead to contamination of drinking water sources and other consequences. Overuse of groundwater pumping from coastal freshwater wells increases saltwater intrusion in many coastal areas. Saltwater intrusion has been increasing in our area since the 1990’s. If too much salt water contaminates our wells, the aquifers will no longer be usable. Once saltwater intrusion begins, it is hard, if not impossible, to reverse. Since saltwater is heavier than freshwater it will impact the lower portion of the aquifer first. Therefore, a well screened in the upper portion of an aquifer may produce perfectly drinkable water, but a well screened deeper in the same aquifer may produce salty water. As the saltwater continues to infiltrate the aquifer, it is only a matter of time before the pump starts to draw saltwater into the well, either through lateral intrusion or “upconing”. Once this occurs, the well will not be able to provide freshwater and over time, an alternate water source will need to be used. One well in Martin County had a chloride value as high as 176 ppm in 2010 (250 ppm is considered salty).
For more information on the need for the MCRWASA water treatment plant, the project cost, the project funding, salt water intrusion (which is one of the issues the water treatment plant addresses), and the recent water rates increases, please review the following PowerPoint slides from a meeting held on September 1, 2015
Presentation – Sept. 1, 2015 Meeting
Download Document Here
For more information on the need for the MCRWASA water treatment plant, the project cost, the project funding, salt water intrusion (which is one of the issues the water treatment plant addresses), and the recent water rates increases, please review the following PowerPoint slides from a meeting held on September 1, 2015
Presentation – Sept. 1, 2015 Meeting
Download Document Here