BY ANA RISANO
Managing Editor
Moore County has taken a step forward in its water discussions, looking to proceed with a combined plan that involves partnering with Southern Pines and acquiring Crystal Lake to address future needs.
On Monday, the Board of Commissioners met to consider updated figures regarding options to alleviate future water demands exceeding supply. Under current conditions and assumed growth, the county has said there is an estimated gap of 5.5 million gallons a day in 2055, with use possibly beginning to outpace demand in 2029.
The county has worked with LKC Engineering to examine its supply and future needs. Previously, the top two options considered involved a partnership with Southern Pines or utilizing Crystal Lake in Vass.
“After our discussion, we thought it would be beneficial to both simultaneously pursue the Southern Pines option and Drowning Creek, as well as the Crystal Lake option,” Public Works Director Brian Patnode said.
The combined option would largely involve pursuing the partnership with Southern Pines to build a water intake farther downstream of the existing town’s reservoir and use the town’s water treatment plant. The intake would likely be in Hoke County, downstream of the county’s wastewater plant discharge. The project was last estimated at $117.46 million split between two phases.
Patnode said the first phase of work would be to expand the Southern Pines treatment plant from processing 8 million gallons a day to 11 million gallons a day. At that point, the county would increase its water supply allocation from the town from 1 to 2 million gallons a day. The second phase would include building a second intake in 2037, gaining another 1 million gallons a day.
On top of that, the county would acquire Crystal Lake. Patnode estimated the county would spend about $11.2 million to excavate the lake, purchase some surrounding properties, and repair the dam and spillway to impound. That would set up the county to build a new water treatment plant if so desired.
Patnode’s presentation included analysis from consultant Bobby Sills on costs, potential debt and impacts to customers’ monthly rates. The commissioners supported the combined water option in part because it would be cheaper for water customers.
The combined option, balanced out with the county finances, would require a 4 percent increase for water customer rates each year through 2037. That means the average customer bill now using 5,000 gallons per month is $36.40. By 2037, it would be $53.88.
The Crystal Lake option, by itself, would involve a 9 percent rate increase for water customers each year, starting in fiscal year 2028. That would mean the average customer bill would increase to $66.08 by 2037.
“We need to make a decision and get the ball rolling. And to me, when you look at the cost per gallon, (the) Southern Pines (option) just blows everything else away,” Commissioners Chair Nick Picerno said. He added that having Crystal Lake would be a great asset for addressing future needs.
The next step is for the county and Southern Pines to look at terms of agreement for a partnership. After that, Picerno said the county needs to go to the state for funding support, saying it makes economic sense, given Moore County has been named the host of several upcoming U.S. Open Golf Championships.
Pinehurst Resort hosted its fourth U.S. Open Championship in 2024. According to a report by the USGA, visitors spent $95.7 million in the region and drove more than 9,100 hotel stays in Moore County during the event.
The county has also worked to see repairs done to the dam — and road atop — that holds Crystal Lake, which was heavily damaged by flooding during Tropical Storm Chantal last year. The group of property owners that currently owns the lake, Crystal Lake Support Inc, is set to receive roughly $380,000 from FEMA for the dam project.
Contact Ana Risano at (910) 585-6645 or ana@thepilot.com.
