Brunswick County opposes Fuquay-Varina's interbasin transfer request
Other local governments in southeastern N.C. also oppose the request
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Ben Ledbetter
Ben Ledbetter
BOLIVIA, N.C. – Brunswick County's Board of Commissioners is encouraging community members to share concerns to the state about a proposed plan to divert millions of gallons of water out of the Cape Fear River, reducing the amount of available water for area residents
The Town of Fuquay-Varina in southern Wake County is seeking approval for an interbasin transfer (IBT) to transfer 6.17 million gallons of water per day from the Cape Fear River basin to the Neuse River basin to increase their water supply to meet the projected future demands for that area.
According to the N.C. environmental regulators, the town's current supply from Raleigh, Harnett County and Johnston County will not meet future demands.
The proposed preferred alternative would involve Fuquay-Varina sourcing its entire water supply from Sanford's Water Treatment Plant in the Cape Fear River Basin. The town would continue sending the collected wastewater to both the North Harnett County Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Cape Fear River basin and the Terrible Creek and the Brighton Forest wastewater treatment plants in the Neuse River basin.
The Environmental Management Commission, which oversees and adopts rules for several divisions of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), ultimately has authority in determining whether to approve the Town’s request.
According to a news release, the Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the Fuquay-Varina IBT on Nov. 17, 2025, due to serious concerns about the long-term repercussions to our county’s available drinking water supply, public health and economic future.
“Having a stable and reliable source of drinking water for Brunswick County is imperative for the health and prosperity of our residents in the decades to come,” Chairman Mike Forte said. “We urge our residents to let DEQ know that they also do not support this IBT request and are worried about the threats it poses to Brunswick County’s long-term future.”
Several other local governments and utilities passed similar resolutions or written letters opposing the IBT, including New Hanover County, City of Wilmington, Cape Fear Public Utilities Authority, and several municipalities in Brunswick County including Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Caswell Beach, Carolina Shores, Holden Beach, Leland, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, Southport, Sunset Beach, and Varnamtown.
The Commissioners’ resolution also asked DEQ to hold a public hearing in the Lower Cape Fear region where downstream communities are most likely to suffer consequences should they approve the Town’s IBT request. Despite submitting the resolution months ago, DEQ has not indicated any plans to hold a public hearing in our area.
“We will not be deterred from voicing our frustration and opposition to this attempt to take away millions of gallons of water that our community depends on,” Forte said. “Pulling water away from one part of the state to give to another part only creates more problems rather than solutions and sets a terrible precedent for North Carolina.”
Public Comment Opportunity
Community members can still voice their concerns on the Fuquay-Varina IBT request by submitting written comments to DEQ. Those who plan to submit are encouraged to note if they live or work in Brunswick County.
Residents are welcome to include any or all of the key concerns listed below as part of their comments to DEQ. Comments must be postmarked or emailed by April 1, 2026.
