[Update: CFPUA Board approved the fiscal year budget Wednesday.]
NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Cape Fear residents will be paying more for water and sewer in the upcoming fiscal year, should the utility authority board vote to pass its 2023-2024 budget.
READ MORE: CFPUA: Costs rise for construction of new wastewater treatment facility, now topping $250M
The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority released a breakdown for the $112.9 million budget, to be voted on Wednesday. It is up by 13.9% — or $13.7 million — from 2023. Last year, it increased by 7.7% – or roughly $7 million.
The 2024 budget has customers paying $3.19 more a month on water and sewer, to begin July 1, 2023. It is less than what staff and the authority anticipated, according to a release from CFPUA.
CFPUA expected an 8.5% increase in the new fiscal year budget, in line with last year’s 8% increase. In 2022, the rising cost was due, in major part, to the installation of its granular-activated carbon filter, to fight PFAS pollution caused by Chemours.
This year’s 4.6% escalation is impacted by the PFAS filtration but also driven by costs to replace CFPUA’s 50-year-old Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant (SSWWTP) at 3436 River Road. The plant is up to date on regulations but reaching its end of life and requires replacement. It’s operating on technology from the 1970s, so new infrastructure will modernize the plant and increase capacity to 16 million gallons per day from its current 12 million.
The $239 million construction project — up 60% from 2019 — is anticipated to bring with it rate increases of 13% over the course of a decade, according to previous PCD reporting from the utility’s long-range planning committee.
It’s part of CFPUA’s 2023-2039 capital improvement plan. Executive director Kenneth Waldroup said at the November meeting funding the “half a billion dollar infrastructure project” would present a lot of challenges.
“Some of the things that might make that softer is any victory we would have in a litigation with Chemours,” he said.
ALSO: CFPUA files second lawsuit against DuPont, Chemours
Construction of the Southside plant is slated to begin in late 2024 or early 2025, with around $7.3 million put toward engineering work this year.
Before CFPUA votes on the budget Wednesday, June 14, it will open a public hearing at 9 a.m.
It also will hold a public hearing regarding system development charges — one-time fees to connect new customers to the system. Water faces an increase of 1.8% to $2,270; sewer will increase 52.3% from $2,160 to $3,290.
The board meeting and public hearing will be in rooms 138 and 139 of the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Dr.
Tips or comments? Email info@localdailymedia.com.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.