Cumberland County advances water planning and PFAS response: Harnett discussions, public‑hearing timelines and Cedar Creek engineering selection

County staff told the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 11 that Cumberland County is advancing a 50‑year water resources plan to provide permanent, safe water to communities affected by PFAS contamination attributed to the Fayetteville Works site.

Amanda Lee, general manager for natural resources, described ongoing discussions with the City of Dunn, Harnett Regional Water and Harnett County. She said Harnett County holds a 42 million gallons per day withdrawal permit but is nearing 90% capacity and is preparing an engineering report that could identify regional supply options on the Cape Fear River. Staff presented a draft interlocal agreement with Harnett for the board’s information; a full draft interlocal agreement will be brought back for legal review and formal approval at a later meeting.

As part of the county’s PFAS response the board approved moving forward with public hearings to establish an East Central Water and Sewer District and a Cedar Creek Water and Sewer District pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 160A‑86; those hearings will be held in January so property owners can comment and the districts can be used to apply for grants and low‑interest loans. The board also heard that the county received a $500,000 grant to fund a preliminary engineering report (PER) for Cedar Creek and staff recommended Weston & Sampson as the best‑qualified firm to produce the PER and handle engineering, public outreach, hydraulic modeling, treatability studies and funding work. The board authorized staff to enter negotiations with Weston & Sampson and return a contract for future approval.

Staff emphasized that some decisions remain preliminary and that district boundaries and density will shape grant competitiveness and the affordability analysis the consultants will produce. Commissioners asked staff to provide boundary maps and slide materials to the board in advance and to coordinate outreach and public notices for hearings.