Staff Report

The town’s aging and antiquated water plant may not have long to live.

That prognosis was delivered to the town Board of Commissioners on Tuesday by Koonce Noble & Associates Inc., a Lumberton engineering firm.

After hearing the report during the board’s regular monthly meeting, Commissioner E. H. Alexander asked how much time the water plant had left.

“It might could get you through five years, it might go down tonight,” said Bo Noble, a representative of the engineering firm. “It’s so old; you can’t get replacement parts for it ... The plant really needs to be gutted.”

Noble presented a preliminary report on the water plant, noting that the plant was built in two parts, with the newest addition being 15 to 20 years old.

“Both areas are basically worn out,” he said.

The engineering firm laid out four alternatives:

— Build a new plant on the same site.

— Work toward purchasing water from Robeson County.

— Rehabilitate both portions of the water plant.

— Rehabilitate just one portion of the plant to temporarily “get you by.”

Noble said getting water from the county may be troublesome because the county doesn’t currently have the capacity to take on all of Red Springs’ residents.

Constructing a new water plant could cost in excess of $4 million. The best avenue to get the bulk of the funding would be from the United States Department of Agriculture, according to Noble. The town could seek a federal grant to cover 75 percent of the cost of a new water plant, and finance the rest.

“What do you need from us tonight?” Mayor George T. Paris. said.

Noble said he was looking for guidance on whether his firm should begin preparing a “full blown” report on the water plant.

“Before we commit to a $4 million project ... I want to know more details,” Alexander said.

“Well, we’ve got to do something,” Paris said.

Commissioner John McNeill suggested the engineering firm draw up a contract calling for a complete engineering report, plus the necessary environmental assessment report. The board approved that recommendation.

Nobles estimated both reports would cost approximately $20,000. The commissioners said the town may be able to recoup those costs if it gets grants to rebuild or rehabilitate the water plant.

In other action, the board:

— Reviewed a report on what it would take to make improvements to the Mill Village neighborhood. The cost to replace water and sewer lines, drainage, and repave the streets was estimated at $1.25 million.

— Approved a contract with Watson Lawn Care for landscaping at MLK corner, town hall parking lot and the community building.

— Agreed to sponsor the cost to send 10 students from Red Springs High School to a youth summit in Greenville Oct. 25-27.