BRUNSWICK COUNTY — With unregulated compounds present in the water supply, Brunswick County is the latest entity to explore water treatment options for its residents.
The county has announced its plans to test water treatment options and expand its Northwest Water Treatment Plant through the engineering firm CDM Smith for $599,600.
Chemicals, including GenX and other unregulated compounds, will be identified and treatment options will be tested under the contract.
Treatment options, including ion exchange, granular activated carbon, advanced oxidation processes and low-pressure reverse osmosis, will be explored with a goal of addressing water quality for more than 70,000 customers within the county.
Amanda Hutcheson, spokeswoman for the county, said the construction of selected treatment methods or a combination of methods would begin next summer.
CDM Smith’s objects are as follows:
- Determine what contaminants are present in the Cape Fear River
- Establish treatment goals for removal of contaminants
- Evaluate treatment alternatives for effective removal of contaminants
- Make recommendations for the most appropriate treatment technology
- Prepare a plan, including cost and schedule for expansion
In its proposal, approved Jan. 16, CDM Smith wrote it would “not duplicate prior studies” and instead would cooperate with existing data.
“Rather it will utilize existing data, including CFPUA pilot study,” the proposal states.
There is no mention of H2GO Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer in the firm’s proposal or in documents related to the request for approval.
However, Bill Dowbiggin, an engineer with CDM Smith, said the firm planned to cooperate with local utilities.
“We intend to look at all data that’s available,” Dowbiggin said.
Hutcheson said H2GO Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer was one of the county’s wholesale customers.
“We plan to engage and continue to keep informed all of our wholesale customers as we move forward,” she wrote in a statement.
Johanna Ferebee can be reached at johanna@localvoicemedia.com or @j__ferebee on Twitter
