The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission and the Division of Water Resources from the Department of Environmental Quality will hold public hearings on December 4, 9, and 11 to gather input on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for Fuquay Varina’s interbasin transfer certificate application.
The first hearing is scheduled for December 4 at Fayetteville Technology Community College in Fayetteville. The second will take place on December 9 at the Archdale Building in Raleigh, with public parking available after 5:00 p.m. in deck 64 across North Salisbury Street from the venue. The third hearing is set for December 11 at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro. Registration for each event opens at 5:30 p.m., with proceedings beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Fuquay Varina, located within the Neuse River basin, is seeking approval to transfer water from the Cape Fear River basin to meet projected future demand. Currently, Fuquay Varina relies on wholesale water purchases from neighboring systems—Raleigh, Harnett County, and Johnston County—but projections indicate a supply shortfall by 2030.
To address this anticipated deficit, Fuquay Varina’s preferred solution involves sourcing water from the Tri-Rivers Water Treatment Plant in Sanford, which draws from the Cape Fear River basin. The town is requesting approval to transfer up to 6.17 million gallons per day by 2055.
According to officials, “The draft environmental impact statement (EIS), which should include a comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts that would occur in both source and receiving basins if a certificate petition is granted, will be available online on DEQ’s website and through the North Carolina Department of Administration’s Environmental Review Center.”
Access to the hydrologic model used for evaluating alternatives in the EIS can be requested via DEQ’s website related to Fuquay Varina’s IBT application. Training sessions on accessing this virtual model are scheduled for December 2 and December 16; registration is required by emailing maya.holcomb@deq.nc.gov.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend these hearings and provide written or verbal comments regarding the draft EIS for the requested IBT certificate. Time for oral comments may be limited depending on attendance.
Written comments can also be submitted by mail to Maya Holcomb at Division of Water Resources, 512 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC, or by email to maya.holcomb@deq.nc.gov. Comments must be dated or emailed before February 1, 2026.
Related application materials and the draft EIS are available online through the Fuquay Varina Interbasin Transfer Application page. Those needing interpretation services during public hearings should contact organizers before November 14.
