As of Tuesday, September 30, the Town of Wrightsville Beach and Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s water and sewer consolidation is in effect.
The consolidation comes after years of careful negotiation and planning between CFPUA and Town leaders. In addition to making CFPUA the Town’s water and sewer services provider, the consolidation will allow CFPUA to make significant improvements to Wrightsville Beach’s utility infrastructure, thanks to State appropriations.
Wrightsville Beach’s customers can expect to receive their final Town water and sewer bill in October, and their first CFPUA bill in November. The Town will continue to provide stormwater and trash services, and customers’ accounts for those services will remain active.
The consolidation has numerous benefits for Wrightsville Beach customers, including:
- Significantly improved water quality: A number of public drinking water wells in Wrightsville Beach are impacted by saltwater intrusion. Even before consolidation CFPUA has supplied about 40-50% of the Town’s drinking water through a wholesale agreement with the Town. This water comes from the state-of-the-art Sweeney Water Treatment Plant and its new Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters. The percentage of water supplied by CFPUA to the Town is expected to increase steadily after September 30. Wrightsville Beach customers will pay the same rates as current CFPUA customers.
- $25 million from the State for necessary infrastructure improvements: Thanks to our state elected leaders, CFPUA and the Town were allocated a combined $25 million in funding to pay for upgrades to the Town’s water and wastewater infrastructure. While these projects were identified in CFPUA and the Town’s consolidation study, almost all of them would have been required even if the water/sewer system remained with the Town.
- A solid foundation for the Town’s future: Without consolidation and the State funding, Wrightsville Beach's water and sewer bills would more than triple by 2030 to pay for the required improvements, according to a Town-commissioned study. The benefits from consolidation – clearly better drinking water, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term cost savings – help provide a solid foundation for the Town’s long-term future.
For more information on the consolidation and frequently asked questions, visit www.CFPUA.org/WrightsvilleBeach.