Water transfer draws opposition

LAKE GASTON — Gene Addesso, president of the Roanoke River Basin Association, community leaders and county officials met with Rep. Lucy T. Allen, July 26, to learn about their “rights and ability to influence the outcome of requests to withdraw and transfer water out of our basin.”

Allen pointed out how tougher state laws, particularly the statute on the “Regulation of Surface Water Transfers,” puts the burden of proof on the interbasin transfer (IBT) requester.

Addesso reported, “It was agreed at the meeting that our position would be best served if we formed a coalition of the community organizations in the lower Roanoke to address, respond and otherwise deal with IBT issues. Consensus at the meeting was that a coalition can be a powerful way of responding to these requests.”

An interbasin water transfer is what happens when people take water from one water system and transfer it for use in another water system. The water is never put back. It can cause problems down stream with lower water flows and diminish future economic development in the source basin, according to experts.

The Kerr Lake Regional Water System currently has permission to transfer 10 million gallons of Roanoke Valley water to service its customers. If the increase is approved, they will be able to transfer up to 24 million gallons per day, and will send water to other areas including the Research Triangle Park.

The company has hired CH2M Hill, a group of developers to facilitate the transfer increase. The group is compiling information presently for environmental assessments and will open debate and public comment once that information is given to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission according to their procedures.

According to Addesso, the Roanoke River Basin Association is “setting up a coalition in the Lower Basin area to deal with IBT matters in a combined and more powerful way.”

The group was also informed of another request for water transfer made by Raleigh, Durham and Granville County a few years back to the Corps of Engineers for a water storage allocation equal to 50 million gallons per day. 

While this request has not been acted on, it is reported the requesters are watching the Kerr Lake Regional Water System’s request with interest.

Rep. Michael Wray and Tom Reeder, N.C. Director of Water Resources, also attended the meeting.