PRESS RELEASE

FROM: David B. Bone, Town Manager

DATE: November 15, 2006

SUBJ.: Town of Elizabethtown $854,440 Grant Award from the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF)

The Town of Elizabethtown is pleased to announce a grant in the amount of $854,440 from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) for the reduction and/or elimination of the discharging of pollutants into local surface waters, primarily Brown's Creek and the Cape Fear River. The Town is providing a match of $95,000 for this effort. The total estimated cost for this project is $949,440.

Created in 1996, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund makes grants to local governments, state agencies and conservation non-profits to help finance projects that specifically address water pollution problems. The CWMTF provides grants for projects that enhance or restore degraded waters; protect unpolluted waters; or contribute toward a network of riparian buffers and greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational benefits.

The purpose of the grant funding is to prevent further releases of untreated sewage into the Cape Fear River and Brown's Creek. This purpose will be achieved by a continuation of Town efforts to address I&I (infiltration and inflow) problems in the collection system. Improvements will primarily focus on deteriorated gravity lines and manholes within the Lower St. pump station basin, which accommodates a significant portion of the Town's sewage. Improvements will also be made to known manhole problems within several pump station basins, most of which pump wastewater into the Lower St. basin. Deteriorated clay pipe and brick and mortar manholes are significant sources of I&I. Deteriorated conditions are causing recurrent overflows and spills as well as exfiltration, potentially contaminating adjacent surface waters.

This project will use a two-phased approach to ensure system improvements are targeted and cost effective. The first phase will entail cleaning and camera inspection of gravity lines. As part of this phase, a sewer ground survey will be conducted in the project area. This survey will be used to locate and identify manholes. Approximately 14,230 LF of 8", 12", and 15" of VCP gravity sewer will be cleaned and video inspected within the Lower St. basin. Targeted lines are located along Broad St., King St., Newton St., Poplar St., Renaldi St., and Swanzy St. Data from the camera inspection will be used for pinpoint improvements to eliminate I&I source. This phase will entail replacing or rehabbing up to 14,230 LF of 8", 12", and 15" of VCP gravity sewer, point repairs to 20 line segments, installing 6 new manholes, rehabbing 24 manholes, and locating and raising 90 existing manholes.

The Town of Elizabethtown is thankful for the work that this grant will allow. Additionally, the Town appreciates the assistance of its legislative delegation, Sen. Tony Rand and Rep. Edd Nye, in securing this funding.