On April 16, 2007, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement between the Town of Calabash and Brunswick County for the construction of a wastewater collection system that would serve the areas within the Town without sewer service available.

Under the terms of the Agreement, the County agreed to design, apply for permits, and construct a sewer collection system that can provide sewer service to those lots within the corporate limits of the Town of Calabash. The County also agreed to design, apply for permits, and construct any and all transmission mains needed to transport wastewater from the sewer collection system described above from the Town to either a County-owned pump station or County-owned wastewater treatment plant. Wastewater generated within the sewer collection system will be treated at a County-owned facility. All facilities constructed under this agreement will be owned, operated, and maintained by the County.

In the Agreement, the Town and County agreed that the property owners who receive benefit from the project would be assessed their proportionate share of the cost of the project. Property owners will not be assessed until all work is completed and the total cost of the project known. The County will provide the construction financing for the project and property owners will have three years to pay their assessment after notification of the assessment amount.

Property owners with an existing structure that connects to the new wastewater collection system within one year of sewer service being made available will not be required to pay normal County Capital Recovery Fees and Sewer Transmission Fees. Property owners who connect after that one year period will be required to pay normal County connection fees. Also, all properties that connect to the new system will pay the same sewer rates as all other County residential customers.

The County requested proposals from engineering firms for the design of the improvements associated with the Calabash Wastewater Collection System Project. After the Consultant Section Committee reviewed all of the proposals received, HDR Engineering was selected to design the project. The Board of Commissioners approved a contract with HDR Engineering on September 4, 2007. The design of the wastewater collection system is underway and is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2008.

• Calabash Wastewater Collection System Map

• Connection to a Low Pressure Sewer Main - .pdf
• Connection to a Gravity Sewer Main - .pdf
• Grinder Pump Station Homeowner Information - .pdf file

1. WHEN WILL SEWER SERVICE BE AVAILABLE?
In 2007, Brunswick County entered into a contract with HDR Engineering, a national consulting engineering firm, to design the wastewater collection system within sections of the Town of Calabash that do not presently have sewer service available. The contract schedule calls for the design to be completed by the summer of 2008. Assuming no unforeseen delays in obtaining the permits required to construct the project, the project is scheduled to be advertised for bid in January of 2009. Based upon the size and complexity of the project, the estimated construction period is 12 to 18 months. Based upon this schedule, sewer service would available in mid 2010.

2. HOW WILL BE THE ASSESSMENT AMOUNT FOR MY LOT BE DETERMINED?
The property owners who receive sewer service as a result of this project will be assessed their proportionate share of the cost of the total project cost. At this point in the project, we do not know what the total cost of the project will be. Also, the Board of Commissioners has a number of options in determining how to allocate the total cost among the property owners receiving service. Under North Carolina law, the Board can allocate cost based upon the number of lots receiving service, the front footage of the lot on the street, the size of the parcel, or any combination of these methods. At this time, the Board has not made a decision on what method will be used to allocate the cost to the individual lot. All lots will be assessed using the same method.

3. WHAT TYPE OF SEWER SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED TO MY LOT?
Depending on the area, sewer service will be provided by a low pressure sewer system, or a gravity collection system. For properties served by a low pressure sewer system, the property owner will connect to a grinder pump station that will be constructed on their property. For properties served by a gravity sewer main, the property owner will connect to a sewer service located at the street right-of-way or easement line.

4. WILL PROPERTY OWNERS BE REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THE SEWER SYSTEM WHEN SERVICE IS AVAILABLE?
Brunswick County will not require existing homeowners to connect to the sewer system when service is available. However, the County will charge each existing homeowner who does not connect to the system an availability charge. The current availability fee is $18 per month. During the first year of sewer service availability, Brunswick County will waive the Capital Recovery Fee for all existing homeowners who connect to the system. After that one-year period, property owners connecting to the system will be charged the Capital Recovery Fee in effect at the time of connection.

5. WHAT WILL THE HOMEOWNER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IF THEY WANT TO CONNECT?
Brunswick County will be responsible for constructing all of the sewer mains, force mains, and pump stations that will provide sewer service to the property. For properties connecting to the gravity system, the homeowner will be responsible for contracting with a licensed plumber to disconnect the existing main that goes from the house to the septic system and connect that main to the sewer service installed by the County. For properties connecting to the low pressure sewer system, the property owner will be responsible for contracting with a licensed plumber to disconnect the existing main that goes from the house to the septic system and connect that main to the grinder pump station installed by the County and connecting the electrical control system for the grinder pump station to the electrical system of the structure. The homeowner will also be responsible for abandoning the septic system in conformance with the Town’s code.

6. HOW LONG WILL A PROPERTY OWNER HAVE TO PAY THE ASSESSMENT?
Based upon the current schedule, the property owner will not receive their assessment until sometime in late 2010 or early 2011. Brunswick County has asked the Calabash Board of Commissioners for a recommendation on the appropriate length of time property owners will have to pay their assessment. Under North Carolina General Statutes, the maximum length of time for property owners to pay their assessment is ten (10) years.

Property owners who pay within the first year of the assessment will not pay any interest on the assessment. Property owners who pay after the one-year period will pay up to 8% interest on the unpaid balance of the assessment.

7. HOW WILL PROPERTY OWNERS BE IMPACTED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS?
Most construction that will occur as a result of this project will be conducted within the street rights-of-way. Property owners who have constructed improvements within the right-of-way such as shrubbery and landscaping will be given an opportunity to relocate their shrubbery or landscaping in advance of the construction.