20061203 Ver 1_Public Notice Comments_20060629 (2)

Vivian Joyner
2829 Old U.S. 1
New Hill, N.C. 27562
June 24, 2006
North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) p ~ ~ ~ O V l5
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1650 v O
Attention: Ms Cyndi Karoly
JUN 2 9 2006
DENR -WATER QUALITY
Dear Ms. Karoly WETUWDS AND STO~IWATER BRANCH
I am writing you in regard to the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Western
Wake Partners for its proposed sewage plant to be located in New Hill. This application must not
be approved as it stands, as no safeguards for the residents of New Hill or the surrounding area
have been placed in it, nor will New Hill residents benefit in any way from this facility.
All the residents of New Hill and the surrounding area rely on their private wells for
drinking water, and on ponds for agricultural irrigation and as a source of drinking water for their
livestock. There is no contingency plan for supplying clean water to homes or to livestock, in the
event of pollution from a sewage spill, nor is there a plan to clean up any land or water
contaminated by such a spill. Thousands of gallons of raw sewage could be on the ground or in
the water systems before a spill would be discovered.
Cary, as lead agent for the Partners, has a very poor record with regard to sewage spillage
in their own community. Pumping millions of gallons of raw sewage through our rural area does
not bode well for an accident-free system and would devastate the entire community. Placement
of the sewer lines in sparsely populated areas would only add to the length of time before any
spill would be noticed or contained.
The Western Wake Partners have stated to New Hill residents that they will benefit from
the facility and will be able to use it. In reality, New Hill residents cannot tie into this disposal
system until annexed by one of the partner towns, namely Apex. Apex has no plan to annex
New Hill for 10 years or longer. In addition, a connection fee of $4000.00-$6000.00 would be
assessed to get water and sewer pipes to our homes. This is a very costly benefit when our wells
and current septic systems are continuing to take care of the community's needs.
The placement of the treatment facility at the New Hill crossroads, in the center of our
community, will impact all the area residents. The historical nature of New Hill would be
destroyed, and our citizens will be negatively impacted by its placement here. Other sites, not in
the center of the New Hill community, would be far better suited for its placement, based on the
recommendation of the engineers hired by the Partners to find the appropriate location. Progress
Energy, with its thousands of acres already condemned for utility usage, has been shown as the
preferred site for this sewer plant.
Please consider requiring the partner towns to treat the raw sewage in their own
communities, and sending only treated water through our community to the outlet site in the
Cape Fear River. This treated water would have much less chance of contaminating our wells
and ponds and could be transported through the community without the potential hazards from
untreated sewage.
Sincerely, o
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