Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Boone To Acquire 10 Acres Along New River For New Raw Water Intake

Story by Sam Calhoun

Last Thursday, Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson announced that the Town of Boone has entered into a contract to acquire ten acres of property along the New River for the purpose of developing a new raw water intake.

The new intake site, coupled with existing intakes on Winkler’s Creek and the South Fork of the New River, will provide a sufficient amount of water to meet the town’s 20-year needs, according to Clawson.

According to Boone Public Utilities Director Rick Miller, the contract on the land is good until the end of 2008, but the next step in the process is to host a scoping meeting on Tuesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Boone Town Council Chambers.

“We are in the process of planning a scoping meeting with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inform [the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission], neighbors and all interested parties and get input from them,” said Miller. “The meeting is open to the public.”

After the scoping meeting, the Town of Boone will conduct an environmental assessment with W.K. Dickson Engineering Firm on the property. The environmental assessment, said Miller, can take up to six months to complete.
Once the environmental assessment is completed, the Town of Boone will apply for a permit from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and start acquiring proper permits for the construction of the transport lines. The permitting process, said Miller, can take up to two years.

If the Town of Boone receives the permits, it will call for a general obligation bond referendum to pay for the project. Partial funding for the project, said Miller, may also come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Miller said the Town of Boone is purchasing the land from the Cooper family for $850,000. The money is coming from the general fund of the Town of Boone’s budget, said Miller.

A recent report from W.K. Dickson Engineering Firm identified the need for a new raw water intake for the Town of Boone. The report indicated that the town’s current water intakes were insufficient to meet future needs.

The town is permitted by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources to draw 3 million gallons per day from its sources, although the report from W.K. Dickson indicated that the town would need to double that permit capacity within the next 20 years.