WATER QUALITY/AVAILABILITY

The water quality and water availability for the area is generally classified as good to excellent. The southeastern North Carolina region is in the Cape Fear and Lumber River Water Basins with the exception of Richmond County being in the Yadkin—Pee Dee Basin. The Cape Fear Basin serves as the primary water source for the northern part of the region and tends to flow swiftly to the coast. The Lumber River Basin covers the southern portion of the region and flows much slower with swamp-like characteristics. These River Basins have different concerns for the future related to quality, sedimentation and potential uses for public water supplies. The Cape Fear is used in some instances for public and industrial water supply. Ground water resources are used extensively in the region for public water supplies and several industries. Several deep aquifers supply significant quantities of high quality water.

Source: Lumber River Council of Governments, Technical Assistance Division (Water Resources)February 2008 [www.lrcog.dst.nc.us].

According to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center’s report, Water 2030 North Carolina Water Supply and Demand, North Carolina has abundant natural resources including water as most of the state receives 45-60 inches of precipitation per year. Estimates for total water demand statewide was 1,611 million gallons per day in 2005 and projected to increase to 2,185 million gallons per day by 2030. Total water demand includes public water supply systems, water from private wells, industry that supplies its own water supply, mining and agriculture—including both water for crop irrigation and livestock watering. Water supply comes from two sources, surface water and groundwater. The availability is determined by a combination of long-term forces, primarily geology and climate; seasonal and other short-term fluctuations in temperature and precipitation; and land cover. This report indicates that the projected total water supply through 2030 will be 24,595.08 million gallons per day. The chart below reflects the water demand and supply by county:

 

WATER DEMAND AND SUPPLY BY COUNTY

County	2005 Public Demand (MGD)	2005 Domestic Demand (MGD)	2005 Industry Demand (MGD)	2005 Irrigation Demand (MGD)	2005 Livestock Demand (MGD)	2005 TOTAL Demand (MGD)	2030 TOTAL Demand (MGD)	Est. Ground Supply (MGD)	Est. Surface Supply (MGD)	Est TOTAL SUPPLY (MGD)
Bladen	1.99	1.16	13.84	4.92	1.14	23.05	23.59	239.684	65.691	305.375
Brunswick	19.09	1.40	8.09	0.73	0.11	29.42	39.26	256.975	102.790	359.765
Columbus	3.48	1.85	41.27	1.35	0.36	48.31	49.60	266.802	76.229	343.031
Cumberland	30.20	1.76	0.00	1.55	0.23	33.73	53.49	157.951	215.866	373.817
Hoke	2.63	1.43	0.45	1.14	0.12	5.77	10.50	163.208	58.849	222.057
New Hanover	36.98	1.87	5.24	0.12	0.02	44.24	60.81	59.920	17.976	77.896
Pender	1.14	2.38	0.00	1.60	0.42	5.53	7.18	260.918	104.367	365.285
Richmond	9.03	0.49	0.00	0.47	0.31	10.29	14.85	119.881	71.928	191.809
Robeson	22.23	1.10	1.35	2.10	0.69	27.47	37.01	280.338	84.577	364.915
Sampson	3.08	2.49	1.06	7.13	3.08	16.84	19.29	294.413	112.653	407.066
Scotland	4.82	0.53	3.89	0.90	0.09	10.22	13.03	151.478	37.902	189.380
NCSE	134.67	16.46	75.19	22.01	6.57	254.87	328.61	2251.568	948.828	3200.398
Statewide	958.62	161.88	293.06	135.21	26.21	1611.34	2184.85	17369.48	7225.60	24595.08

 

Source: North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, Water 2030— North Carolina Water Supply and Demand, dated February 23, 2006. www.ncruralcenter.org/pubs/watersupplyanddemand.pdf].