By Laura Crosio
Johnston County Commissioners have begun paving the way for residents in the Town of Wilson’s Mills to have a better quality sewer system.
The town needed county approval to secure a USDA grant and loan funding to replace and upgrade their sewer lines and one pump station. The total cost of the project is $4.72 million.
Residents of the town are county customers but in order to secure the grant and loan, they need to enter an agreement for the town to become a bulk customer of the county. Johnston County would provide operation, maintenance and billing of the sewer for Wilson’s Mills.
The project would address health and environmental issues the town is facing, according to Lee Campbell, an engineer with The Wooten Company.
He said some of the town has existing lines but this project would bring in an increase of 37,000 feet of sewer lines and service 73% of the town’s parcels.
Connecting to the sewer system is not mandatory for any of the town’s residents but Campbell noted 214 households have committed and have paid a $200 application fee. The total number of customers now stands at 494.
Johnston County Utilities Director Chandra Coats told commissioners the department had no objection to transferring customers to the Town of Wilson’s Mills and working with them to develop an interlocal agreement for the project.
Commissioner Allen Mims was the only member to disapprove the town’s request.
