Wilmington community hold meeting to address issue of water possibly being taken out of the Cape Fear River

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)–“Don’t take the water and put it someplace else. Take it, use it, and use it for growth, but put it back that’s what all we are saying,” said New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple, as he is just one of many people who disapprove of the request from the town of Fuquay Varina, to take water out of the Cape Fear river into the Neuse river.

During a meeting held Saturday morning, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, and Cape Fear River Watch, kicked off the new year by holding a seminar to address the Interbase Transfer Certificate application from the town of Fuquay Varina.

Located around 15 miles south of Raleigh, Fuquay Varina applied for the certificate several years ago to address their water needs.

The certificate would allow them to take around 6 million gallons of water a day from the Cape Fear River, that’s enough to fill 102,000 bathtubs every day.

They would use that water for their own needs but would not return what they used to Cape Fear.

The town says it is cheaper to just take the water and put it into the Neuse river, rather than cleaning it through a proper facility, and returning it back.

Zapple says he is open to helping another town, but not without facing drawbacks in the Cape Fear region.

“We need that water. That water would support 27,000 households, and now you add drought, there is less water coming to down the stream,” said Zapple.

According to Kenneth Waldroup, executive director of Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, taking out the water can lead to low water flows, which would be extremely bad during a drought. It could also negatively impact on economic opportunities.

Waldroup told the community to raise their voices to their neighbors upstream and plead for a public meeting in the Cape Fear region, as the closest public hearing was in Fayetteville, nearly 2 hours away from Wilmington, which didn’t allow for most residents to voice their concerns.

“We are asking decisionmakers in Raleigh to approve the water use in Fuquay Varina but require them to return that water when they are finished with it. So, borrow and return, instead of permanent removal”, said Waldroup.

If that doesn’t happen, Waldroup says another path to ensure the return of water to the Cape Fear River may have to be taken.

“If we don’t find the resolution, we will have to take our case to the courts. We will ask the justice system to deal with something that should be simple. We don’t want to do that, we don’t want to waste our money, or their money”, said Waldroup.

The public has until February 1st to weigh in. Written comments may also be submitted by mail to Maya Holcomb, NC Division of Water Resources, 512 N Salisbury St, Raleigh, N.C., 27604, or by email to maya.holcomb@deq.nc.gov by Feb. 1, 2026.