The Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority (LCFWASA) is undertaking a significant infrastructure project to enhance the reliability and capacity of its raw water transmission system. McKim & Creed was hired to design and install the second phase of a new 54-inch raw water transmission main that will parallel the existing 48” main, spanning approximately 7 miles. The new pipeline will run alongside the current 48-inch raw water line, which supplies Pender County, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), and several industries along US Highway 4211.
This project follows the completion of 14 miles of parallel raw water transmission main between the Kings Bluff Pump Station and a 3-million-gallon raw water tank, which was commissioned in the spring of 2022. The new project aims to address the vulnerabilities exposed by the pipeline failure in the fall of 2021, which highlighted the need for a redundant system to ensure continuous water supply to utility customers.
In 2022, LCFWASA secured $23.5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for the first phase of the project, with additional cost-sharing from Pender County and CFPUA. In October 2023, LCFWASA received a $25 million grant for water infrastructure, ensuring full funding for the remaining 10 miles of pipeline. The last 3 miles of pipeline will follow the Phase 2 project. The new pipeline will provide a critical backup to the existing 48-inch main for all the LCFWASA customers, which has experienced two failures over the past 30 years. This redundancy is essential to meet current and future water demands and to maintain public health and community well-being.