THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409220444
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DeGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HATTERAS ISLAND LENGTH: Long : 139 lines
Although this skinny strip of sand is surrounded by water, the 800 residents of the three northernmost villages have never had access to central drinking water.
They drill wells in their yards and hope for the best.
Some work well, constantly pumping clear water through the homes. Others emit an iced-tea colored liquid smelling of rotten eggs - or worse.
And when storms strike, as they often do on North Carolina's Outer Banks, ocean water often overflows into the wells, contaminating the water and making it unusable.
This week, construction crews began building what was once only a pipe dream for the permanent residents of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo: a reverse-osmosis water plant.
The $6.5 million project will include a 6,835-square-foot building, 1 million gallon ground storage tank, 200,000 gallon elevated tank, 2 wells each 400 feet deep, and 73 new fire hydrants.
It will be Dare County's second reverse-osmosis water production plant - and the first chance these Hatteras Island property owners have to get hooked to central water.
``People down here will see 100 percent improvement in the quality of their drinking water,'' said Dare County Water Department employee Bob Crutchfield. Crutchfield was overseeing initial digging for the water lines in Rodanthe on Wednesday. Next summer, he will become superintendent of the new Hatteras Island water plant.
``The water here now is questionable. It's not tested. So no one ever knows if it's safe,'' Crutchfield said. ``We will reduce the iron and color in their water. It won't stain clothes. It will be a lot softer. And it will be tested every day.''
In Dare County, about 55 percent of homes and businesses are linked to a central water system.
Some natives and many newcomers on northern Hatteras Island have been asking for a central water system since 1980. Ocracoke Island officials installed the state's first reverse-osmosis water production plant in 1976. Dare County's R-O plant in Kill Devil Hills can pump 3 million gallons per day. It has created 3 billion gallons of desalinated water since opening as the state's second R-O plant in 1989. That same year, Dare County commissioners began discussing a reverse-osmosis facility for Hatteras Island, to be located in Rodanthe.
The 700 truckloads of fill dirt began arriving in the seaside village this month. The fittings and hydrants line a sandy vacant lot. And 22 miles of PVC pipe are piled in 8-foot-tall stacks.
Residents should be connected to the new water lines by November 1995.
``This plant can be expanded on site to double its capacity,'' said Dare County Water Department Supervisor Bob Oreskovich. ``It will serve our needs until at least 2010. And it will eliminate the possibilityof having an extreme epidemic of waterborne diseases.
``Our new wells will be protected from ocean overwash.''
Besides providing safer water for cooking, washing and consumption, the desalinated water - deep ground water which is run through a series of membranes and filters to remove salt, minerals and other contaminants - will help firefighters. The plant will be hooked to emergency generators, so water will be available even without electricity. And water quality will be controlled by a state-of-the-art, computerized Programmable Logic Controller.
A fire hydrant will be located within 1,000 feet of every home and business. Fire and homeowners insurance rates should drop. Oreskovich said that within 10 years, the amount of money invested in the water hook-up fees will be saved in insurance bills.
The vast majority of villagers want the new water production plant. But some say their well water is satisfactory. Others don't want to have to pay another utility bill.
Although hooking up to the central water system is optional, each property owner in Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo will have to pay a $1,500 initial assessment fee. Another $300 tap fee will be required before water can flow from the faucets. But bills will not be distributed until the estimated 1,700 lots have been confirmed on the county's tax records.
Even if homeowners prefer to continue using their private wells - rather than county-tested water - they will have to pay the assessment fee.
If residents want to hook up to the new reverse-osmosis water production plant, they must notify the county water department by Oct. 1, 1994. Anyone signing up for the central system after that time will be charged an additional $2,000. Water bills will be issued quarterly at $4 per 1,000 gallons, about $49 per quarter, the same rates as the rest of Dare County's customers.
A public hearing about the assessment fees - and new water plant - is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the Rodanthe Community Center.
Located on a county-owned site just south of the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station in Rodanthe, the county's new reverse-osmosis water plant will draw water from two in-ground wells. It will pump about 500 gallons of water per minute. It will include an elevated tank on the west side of N.C. Route 12 which stands 180 feet tall.
Six to 10 full-time employees will man the plant. But it won't need to be operated round-the-clock. Water fees will pay for the plant's annual expenses.
Since environmental regulations require that septic tanks and private wells be located at least 100 feet apart, having a central water system will allow some land parcels currently classified as ``unbuildable'' to support a home or business.
``Once you get good water, all the property values will go up,'' said Richard Darcey, a 10-year resident of Rodanthe. ````My well water is good. I'm one of the lucky people. But I'm going to hook up to central water anyway.
``I'll segregate it inside my house, by what it goes to,'' Darcey said. ``I'll use county water for the shower and kitchen sinks. Well water for the hose and toilets. That's really a very simple thing to do. And I'll only have to pay for part of the water.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
Bob Crutchfield, right, and T.J. Ketterman are supervising digging
and installation of Dare County's second reverse-osmosis water
plant, which will be located in Rodanthe. Crutchfield will become
superintendent of the new plant next summer.
Graphics
WHAT RESIDENTS NEED TO DO
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
WATER PRODUCTION PLANT
This week, construction crews began installing more than 20 miles
of pipe for Dare County's new reverse-osmosis water production plant
- the fourth in North Carolina.
The $6.5 million facility can store 1 million gallons of water,
run on an emergency generator and is scheduled to be completed by
November 1995.
If residents want to hook up to the new reverse-osmosis water
production plant, they must notify the county water department by
Oct. 1. Anyone signing up for the central system after that time
will be charged an additional $2,000. Water bills will be issued
quarterly at $4 per 1,000 gallons, about $49 per quarter, the same
rates as the rest of Dare County's customers.
A public hearing about the assessment fees - and new water plant
- is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the Rodanthe
Community Center. For more information, call the Dare County Water
Department (919) 441-7788. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays
through Fridays.
by CNB