With the consumption of water, from ground aquifer systems, increasing more rapidly than Mother Nature can replenish, officials received information on efficient water planning, monitoring and updates for the future, which could have Sampson County residents paying more over a period of time.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, local government officials, public works staffs and agency partners gathered at the Sampson Agri-Exposition Center, where the Lumber River Council of Governments presented key elements in developing alternative water resources for the future.

According to LRCOG executive director James Perry, Sampson County, joined with neighboring counties: Bladen, Hoke, Robeson, Scotland, Columbus and Richmond, were integrated into a well monitoring study in 1990, where depressions in the water table around a well, “cones of depression,” were identified.

Because of the obvious dependence of groundwater, LRCOG saw issues that they needed to learn more about; therefore the Southern Coastal Plain Ground Water Advisory Council was formulated.

Composed of the stakeholders from government, public works and cooperative extensions, who developed strategies for examining future ground water availability and protection, a four year comprehensive ground water study was initiated in 1999.

The first component had officials observing the water levels. “We knew it was being used, but we did not know who was using it,” Perry told the audience, later adding, “It is tough to find wells and know exactly where they are coming from. It is like comparing apples to apples.”

The next step in the study was to determine the quality of the groundwater. According to a Perry, 17 research stations were used to collect groundwater samples (from the Surficial and First Confined aquifers) for analysis. By looking at ammonia and fecal coliform levels, the SCPGWAC got a little idea of what was going on.

“We found a small percent of contaminated water ... We found that most of the wells weren’t having many problems.”

A Hydrogeological framework, or a three dimensional picture of SCP aquifers and confining units, was also developed.

“The only picture we had of what underground looked like was from a very old drawing from a geologists. It was a out of sight, out of mind picture,” Perry explained.

The framework, according to officials, was an illustration of straight lines, which showed where water was collecting between sand and clay layers to form aquifers.

The straight lines identified the natural flow of water, however, in several illustrations displayed of the Upper Cape Fear Aquifer and the Black Creek Aquifer bending formations (cone of depressions) were noticeable.

While the most severe of the cones were stationed around Bladen and Robeson Counties, the town of Turkey was experiencing a fraction of a cone, which originated in Duplin County.

The final component reviewed, in the four year study, was a water supply and demand analysis, where officials discovered just how much water usage, was too much.

According to reports from Perry, the state aquifer state yield, which allocates how many gallons Sampson County can pump from each water source per day, totaled 19.72 million gallons: 0.40 from Peedee Aquifer, 14.31 from Black Creek Aquifer, 2.69 from Upper Cape Fear Aquifer and 2.32 from the Lower Cape Fear Aquifer.

After gathering these figures in 2000, officials compared water supply and demand in 2001 to their predictions for water supply and demand in 2010.

Eight years ago, Sampson County was allocated 19.72 million gallons per day; however, according to data released by LRCOG, the county was only using 15.73 million gallons per day, which left a reserve deficit of 3.99 million gallons per day.

After reaching this analysis, officials then took into consideration the element of growth through population, agriculture and other domestic self-supplied water usage.

“Agriculture use was the key issues that we needed better information on because of the industry here,” Perry furthered.

While the figures are not an exact science, Perry confirmed they are as clear as they can get. By next year, SCPGWAC officials predicted Sampson County to use 19.31 million gallons per day, which would leave a reserve deficit of only 0.41.

Clinton city manager John Connet added later, “this was a projection that if things continued the way they were, over a long term use, it could cause a problem with the aquifer system.”

While Perry was focusing on the county as a whole, Connet voiced, “I do not know if the numbers are accurate, but at the time (the study) was done, these were the best numbers.”

“I think it is important for them (SCPGWAC) to come back and check. They will look at the assumptions and do another snapshot to let us know what is going on. I wouldn’t be concerned until this update is completed,” Connet noted.

Although no large scale problems currently exist within our system, Connet commented, “We are making sure we are doing it (research) responsibly and that we can sustain it (the water) for many years to come.”

In order to update the information, Perry extended another invitation for Sampson County to join in the Lumber River COG water Resources Planning for 2008 through 2010.

According to Perry, the LRCOG was awarded three planning grants for updating research. The Rural Center Grant 1 — $80,000, Economic Development Administration —$205,000 and the Rural Center Grant 2 —$122,500 will monitor water measurements in the ground, implement regional water source plans, assist communities on infrastructure funding eligibility, instruct management training and complete water/sewer mapping.

With the invitation extended to the attending officials, several months were granted for a decision to be reached regarding participation.

“Clinton is suggesting to go along with the project because it can be beneficial ... We hope other entities will do the same,” Connet revealed.

While the update will bring satisfaction to the groundwater resource assumptions, Connet stated that either way an incremental increase in water price will be implemented “simply because of maintenance and repairs.”

“Most of the system is 30 years old, if not older, and it is reaching the end of its life span,” Connet conveyed.

Because “people are eventually going to have to pay more,” Perry suggested that people become educated to the ongoing complexities.

According to Connet, the easiest thing to do, in response to the predictions, is to check plumbing for leaks because running water is a considerate waste of clean water.

Officials from the Sampson County Public Works were not available for questioning as of press time.

For more information regarding to the LRCOG or water resource planning please visit them at http://www.lrcog.dst.nc.us/.

Jessica Wagner can be contacted at (910) 592-8137 ext.122 or reached by e-mail at siphoto@intrstar.net