Flemington residents upset over water bill

Residents of one local neighborhood have not paid a water bill in nearly 30-years, and say they should not have to start now.

Back in the 1980’s, New Hanover County agreed to subsidize water bills for residents of the Flemington neighborhood.

This was after the E.P.A. sued the county for building a landfill in the area that contaminated the neighborhood’s water supply.

Assistant county manager David Weaver says those subsidies expired last month, when the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority took control of the county water services.

Flemington resident Kenneth Sandlin said, “We’re mad about it. We’re absolutely upset about it. We feel like the county is not living up to their end of the bargain.”

Weaver says the lawsuit obligated the county to supply an alternative water supply system, not provide free water.

Weaver added that free water for 28 years was merely an added benefit for Flemington residents.