AN ACT to appropriate funds to the Town of wrightsville beach for water supply improvements.

Whereas, the Town of Wrightsville Beach (Town) has eleven wells as the Town's main sources of drinking water; and

Whereas, the Town's supply of drinking water is endangered because some of the ten wells located on Wrightsville Beach have saltwater intrusion and one well located adjacent to Wrightsville Beach is contaminated with per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds; and

Whereas, as a result of these issues, the Town must purchase drinking water from the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (Authority); and

Whereas, the Town would like to consolidate its water and sewer systems with those of the Authority, and the Authority is willing to consolidate with the Town's water and sewer systems, if the Town will make certain costly improvements; and

Whereas, the improvements include replacing old and fragile infrastructure, adding a second pump to guarantee maximum daily capacity, adding a second water line and a second sewer line for redundancy, and the installation of water meters that will be compatible with Authority water meters; and

Whereas, the Town has agreed to contribute eight million dollars toward the costs of the improvements, leaving a balance of seventeen million dollars needed to complete the consolidation; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The sum of seventeen million dollars ($17,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the Town of Wrightsville Beach for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.