Frequently Asked Questions

Questions and answers will be updated to reflect changing interests, concerns, and conditions as the project moves forward between now and 2011, so please visit often.

The Partnership and Facilities
Site Selection
Facility Operations
Environmental Protection and Regulatory Process
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Meetings and Public Input
Construction
Pipeline
Geotechnical Investigations

Pipeline

The effluent pipeline is the primary means of moving treated water from the Western Wake Water Reclamation Facility to the discharge point on the Cape Fear River.

The current preferred pipe sizing is about 64-inches (5.3-feet) in diameter.

The pipe material is still being evaluated. Presently, ductile iron pipe and pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe are both being considered.

The pipeline will be buried, at least four feet beneath the ground surface in most cases.

While the exact route has not been finalized, the pipeline will extend approximately 10 miles from the Western Wake Water Reclamation Facility site to the Cape Fear River discharge point. While the construction corridor width is still in the planning and design phase and may vary depending upon the proximity to other surface features such as roads, railroads, and utility lines, the width of the construction corridor is currently anticipated to be 50-feet in most locations. 

Once construction is complete, at least 30-foot of access and maintenance corridor is anticipated to allow sufficient space for access and maintenance of the pipeline.

The current preferred route will begin on the Western Wake Water Reclamation Facility site in New Hill and cross Shearon Harris Road. The preferred route keeps the pipeline on the south side of the railroad tracks along the Old US 1 corridor. Just before the intersection with US 1 and Old US 1, the pipeline will turn south and cross underneath US 1. The preferred pipeline route follows along a cross country route in parallel with existing gas and power lines until it intersects with Christian Chapel Church Road. The preferred pipeline route then parallels Christian Chapel Church Road until the intersection with Hwy 42. There are a couple of options under consideration along Christian Chapel Church Road that would further minimize the impacts to residential property fronting the road. The preferred pipeline route crosses under Hwy 42 and follows the existing power line until reaching the discharge point on the Cape Fear River. 

See attached map.

Project Partner engineers and consultants used maps, aerial photographs, property records, existing utility line information, and windshield assessments to determine a preferred pipeline route that would best serve the needs of the project while minimizing impacts on the environment, businesses, and residents.

In order to verify that the preferred route will function as planned, detailed site surveys must be completed to confirm all elevations, surface obstacles, land uses, and environmental elements along the preferred pipeline route. After the site surveys have been completed, the design engineers will evaluate the preferred route to assure the pipeline can be constructed as planned, including minimizing environmental and community impacts. If there are unavoidable obstacles or other unforeseen circumstances, then the route will be adjusted and additional site surveying may become necessary. After the design engineers have confirmed the best pipeline alignment that assures the pipeline can be constructed in a safe manner consistent with established project criteria, then the route will be finalized.

Staff and consulting design engineers working on this project will provide a recommended pipeline route to the Project Partners for their approval. The Project Partners will be responsible for selecting the final pipeline route.

The final pipeline route determination will most likely be made in the spring of 2007.

Once engineers have completed the preliminary design plans, the Project Partners will invite affected property owners to a public information exchange to introduce the proposed pipeline alignment to the community and get feedback on it. Participants will be able to speak one-on-one with officials from the Project Partners and from the consulting engineering firm preparing the design plans. After the information exchange, the design engineers will evaluate all comments and make any necessary revisions before finalizing a pipeline alignment recommendation for the approval of the Project Partners.

We anticipate having multiple construction crews engaged in the 10+ mile construction effort at the same time. Most of the construction effort will take place along existing utility corridors away from roadway access so as not to significantly impact the surrounding community. Throughout construction, the contractor will be required to maintain access to private property. In cases where driveways have to be blocked temporarily for construction work, they will be reopened immediately as the construction moves forward; in no cases will driveways be obstructed for more than 4 hours at any one time. 

During the construction, trucks will be delivering and moving soil, heavy supplies and equipment. Bulldozers, cranes, and backhoes will likely be employed to prepare for and bury the pipeline. Work will typically occur weekdays during daylight hours.

After the construction has been completed, the contractor will be required to restore or otherwise improve the surface grading that existed prior to construction.  The contractor will seed and stabilize all disturbed areas along the pipeline construction route to prevent soil erosion.

In the long term, if the Project Partners ever need to access the pipeline for routine maintenance procedures, property owners could expect the same temporary construction impacts described above.

The Project Partners will provide appropriate compensation to residential property owners who have property impacts resulting from this project. The Project Partners will typically contact independent land appraisers to provide a formal appraisal of property value. The land appraisal will serve as the basis for compensation. Each affected property owner with property impacts outside the public right-of-way will be contacted by the Project Partners to arrange for pipeline easements before construction is started.

We understand that some property owners will prefer not to have a pipeline buried along their property. If you do not wish to have the pipeline located on your property, we would appreciate hearing your comments at the public information exchange that will be scheduled when the preliminary pipeline design plans have been completed. We will listen carefully to all relevant comments and design with an emphasis on reducing community impacts.  

When the pipeline construction has been completed and all disturbed areas have been restored, there will be no further impacts to private property owners. The effluent pipeline is carrying treated water to the river discharge and, as such, there is no smell associated with the treated water. Since the pipeline will be buried, the surrounding residents will not be able to hear or see the pipeline. Occasionally, there will be air release valves, which are typically located at all significant high points in the pipeline. These air release valves are also buried and the only visual indication is a vent pipe located above ground to discharge excess air from the pipeline.

15. What is the effluent pipeline project schedule?

The tentative project schedule includes continuing to develop preliminary design plans through the end of calendar year 2006. After the pipeline route is selected, we plan to conduct the public information exchange to introduce the plans to the community and get feedback prior to initiating permitting and land acquisitions. In 2008, we plan to begin construction operations, which will conclude in 2010.