Martin County approves Oak City waterline construction bid, seeks grant for Bear Grass asset assessment and adopts water-shortage plans
July 01, 2026 | Martin County, North Carolina
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Martin County commissioners on Sept. 12 approved a package of water-system actions that county leaders said aim to repair aging infrastructure and improve planning for rural service areas.
The board accepted Herring and Rivenbark’s apparent low bid of $756,263 for construction work in Water & Sewer District #1 (Oak City), approving the Wooten Company’s recommendation to replace thousands of feet of undersized and aging mains and make tank improvements. County Manager David Bone said the project is funded by a Drinking Water State Reserve grant and was expected to begin in fall 2018 with completion projected by mid-2019.
The board also voted to re-submit an Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) grant application for Water District #2 (the former Town of Bear Grass system). County staff said a successful, 100% grant would fund a Preliminary Engineering Report, GIS mapping, valve and hydrant inventories and an asset-management database; the project estimate is about $150,000. The AIA, if funded, would provide the county with system maps and condition assessments to guide future capital work.
In addition, commissioners adopted updated Water Shortage Response Plans for both Water District #1 and Water District #2. County Manager Bone said the May 23, 2018 plans reflect statutory requirements (N.C. Gen. Stat. §143-355(l)) and had completed the required 30‑day public comment period. The board found the plans complete and directed staff to submit them to the Division of Water Resources. The plans establish drought-declaration authority, staged responses and operational steps the districts must follow during shortages.
Why it matters: County staff framed the actions as a coordinated effort to modernize distribution systems that in places date to the 1950s and 1980s, improve reliability for roughly 1,800 combined customers across the two districts, and ensure the county meets state planning and drought-response requirements.
What’s next: Construction on the Oak City improvements is scheduled to start in the fall of 2018, pending contract execution and mobilization. The AIA grant for WSD #2 will be submitted and, if funded, a PER and mapping work will follow.
The board accepted Herring and Rivenbark’s apparent low bid of $756,263 for construction work in Water & Sewer District #1 (Oak City), approving the Wooten Company’s recommendation to replace thousands of feet of undersized and aging mains and make tank improvements. County Manager David Bone said the project is funded by a Drinking Water State Reserve grant and was expected to begin in fall 2018 with completion projected by mid-2019.
The board also voted to re-submit an Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) grant application for Water District #2 (the former Town of Bear Grass system). County staff said a successful, 100% grant would fund a Preliminary Engineering Report, GIS mapping, valve and hydrant inventories and an asset-management database; the project estimate is about $150,000. The AIA, if funded, would provide the county with system maps and condition assessments to guide future capital work.
In addition, commissioners adopted updated Water Shortage Response Plans for both Water District #1 and Water District #2. County Manager Bone said the May 23, 2018 plans reflect statutory requirements (N.C. Gen. Stat. §143-355(l)) and had completed the required 30‑day public comment period. The board found the plans complete and directed staff to submit them to the Division of Water Resources. The plans establish drought-declaration authority, staged responses and operational steps the districts must follow during shortages.
Why it matters: County staff framed the actions as a coordinated effort to modernize distribution systems that in places date to the 1950s and 1980s, improve reliability for roughly 1,800 combined customers across the two districts, and ensure the county meets state planning and drought-response requirements.
What’s next: Construction on the Oak City improvements is scheduled to start in the fall of 2018, pending contract execution and mobilization. The AIA grant for WSD #2 will be submitted and, if funded, a PER and mapping work will follow.
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