The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission and the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources have announced a series of public hearings in December to gather input on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Town of Fuquay-Varina’s Interbasin Transfer Certificate request.
The hearings are scheduled for December 4 in Fayetteville, December 9 in Raleigh, and December 11 in Pittsboro. The session on December 9 will be available via livestream for viewing and listening, but those wishing to provide verbal comments must attend in person and register at the hearing site.
To allow more time for public participation, officials have extended the comment period until April 1, 2026. Written feedback can be submitted by mail or email. Registration to speak at each hearing will begin at 5:30 p.m., with meetings starting at 6 p.m.
Fuquay-Varina, which is located within both the Cape Fear and Neuse River basins, is seeking an Interbasin Transfer Certificate to source water from the Cape Fear River Basin. The town currently buys water from neighboring systems—Raleigh and Johnston County (Neuse River Basin) and Harnett County (Cape Fear River Basin)—but anticipates a supply shortfall by 2030.
To address this issue, Fuquay-Varina has identified sourcing water from the Tri-Rivers Water Treatment Plant operated by the City of Sanford as its preferred solution. This would require transferring up to 6.17 million gallons per day from the Cape Fear River Basin to meet projected demands through 2055.
According to officials, “The draft EIS should include a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts that would occur in the source and receiving basins if the petition for a certificate is granted.” The draft document is available online through DEQ’s website as well as via the North Carolina Department of Administration Environmental Review Clearinghouse.
A hydrologic model used to evaluate alternatives in the EIS can also be accessed upon request through DEQ’s website dedicated to Fuquay-Varina’s IBT request. Training sessions on how to use this virtual model are set for December 2 and December 16; interested individuals must register by emailing maya.holcomb@deq.nc.gov.
Community members are encouraged to attend these hearings or submit written comments regarding the draft EIS related to Fuquay-Varina’s application. All comments must be postmarked or emailed by April 1, 2026.
Further details about Fuquay-Varina’s Interbasin Transfer request, including access to application materials and related documents, are available online at Fuquay-Varina Interbasin Transfer request.
