Source: NCDENR, 3/24/15

State officials are hosting a public hearing March 31 on the Kerr Lake Regional Water System’s request to transfer more water from a neighboring river basin to meet the system’s projected water demands.    

To meet future demands, officials with the Kerr Lake Regional Water System are required to obtain an interbasin transfer certificate from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The public hearing at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson will enable the public to comment on the proposed certificate.  

The Kerr Lake Regional Water System has requested an increase to its current grandfathered interbasin transfer of up to10 million gallons a day. The increase is necessary to meet expected demands for the water system and its customers through 2045, according to the water system’s projections. The grandfathered transfer allowance is determined by their transfer capacity as of July 1, 1993.  
The water system’s interbasin transfer certificate requests transfers of up to 14.2 million gallons a day from the Roanoke River basin into the three river basins that serve the Kerr Lake system’s customers. The requested certificate calls for transferring up to 10.7 million gallons a day to the Tar River basin, 1.8 million gallons a day to the Neuse River basin, and another 1.7 million gallons a day to the Fishing Creek basin. The proposed interbasin transfer values are calculated based on an average day of the month when water would be transferred in the greatest volume, by state law.

The Kerr Lake Regional Water System provides water to municipal and county systems in Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties. The water systems in these counties are spread out across the Tar, Neuse and Fishing Creek river basins in northeastern North Carolina. Kerr Lake, the sole surface water source of the water system, is in the Roanoke River basin and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The public may review the supporting environmental documents at: http://ncwater.org/?page=294. The announcement is aimed at encouraging interested parties to attend and provide relevant written and verbal comments. Staff members with the N.C. Division of Water Resources request that people submit written copies of oral comments. Based on the number of people who wish to speak, the length of oral presentations may be limited.

If you are unable to attend, you may mail written comments to Kim Nimmer, Division of Water Resources, 1611 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1611. Comments may also be submitted electronically to kim.nimmer@ncdenr.gov. Mailed and emailed comments will be given equal weight. All comments must be postmarked or emailed by April 30.