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Written by Town of Ayden Staff
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Thursday, 23 July 2009 09:48 |
 State and federal environmental leaders are honoring the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority for a project started in 2006 to provide people in Lenoir and Pitt counties with a new drinking water system.
Dee Freeman, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, presented the water and sewer authority with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Award for Sustainable Health Protection. The award is given to creative and innovative projects that promote sustainability and protect public health.
“It is a distinct honor to present this award to the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority for its collaboration with state, local and private sources to develop a lasting solution to both protect public health and North Carolina’s natural resources,” said Freeman, who recognized the authority on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency. “I applaud their creation of such a valuable resource to the community, through innovation and outstanding partnerships.”
The project to create a new drinking water supply source was necessary because of the area’s increased water demands and state requirements to limit groundwater withdrawals, so that aquifers would be replenished and provide a high-quality source of drinking water for years to come.
With that goal in mind, leaders in Lenoir and Pitt counties came together in 2006 to form the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority. The authority, which includes leaders from three towns and four nonprofit water corporations, used its clout to leverage state, local and private financing sources to plan, design and construct a new treatment plant and 77 miles of transmission mains across Lenoir and Pitt counties to carry treated water to each member agency’s water distribution system.
Approximately $27.6 million was used from the N.C. Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to carry out the $146 million project. State public water supply staff members, who administer the federal fund, nominated the project for the EPA award. Then, the EPA selected the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority for the award because of the project’s exceptional creativity and dedication to public health protection.
The EPA determined award recipients based on three mandatory criteria: compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, financial integrity and public health benefits.
Members of the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority are the town of Ayden, Bell Arthur Water Corporation, Deep Run Water Corporation, Eastern Pines Water Corporation, town of Grifton, city of Kinston, North Lenoir Water Corporation and town of Pink Hill.
For information about the EPA’s drinking water program, go to:www.epa.gov/safewater/.
For information about North Carolina’s implementation of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, go to:www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/pws/srf/index.htm.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 July 2009 09:56 )
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