2/25/04

Public Invited to Water Storage Tank Ribbon Cutting
March 8 Ceremony Includes Toast with Water Straight from 1 Million Gallon Tank

Town of Holly Springs officials will be cutting the ribbon on the new water storage tank off Avent Ferry Road at 11 a.m. on March 8, 2004. In addition to remarks by Town Manager Carl Dean and Mayor Dick Sears, Town officials will toast to the Town’s future with water poured straight from the storage tank’s base.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new water storage tank in Holly Springs represents more than the opening of a new, 1 million gallon water supply for residents. It also represents the culmination of one of the first projects in Wake County to create a regional solution for drinking water needs. As part of the project, water lines were constructed from Harnett County’s water treatment plant into Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina. Before the water lines were built, Holly Springs purchased its water solely from Raleigh, which gets its supply from Lake Crabtree. In times of drought, this water supply can be restricted.

Years ago, when Holly Springs officials were responding to the need from an increasing population to expand the Town’s water supply, several options were examined, including purchasing more water from Raleigh, purchasing water from Cary, or purchasing water from Harnett County.

“They had the best deal in Town,” said Stephanie Sudano, director of the Town’s Engineering Department, about Harnett County. “They had an available supply and they were cost effective.”

The $1.3 million tank was paid for by both grant and low-interest loan money secured by the Town from US Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the NC Division of Environmental Health. Wooten Company from Raleigh designed the tank; it was built by CBI Constructing, Inc. Project design and construction was overseen by the Town’s Engineering and Water Quality staffs. Construction on the tank began in April, 2002.

The Avent Ferry Road tank is the third in Town. It is the only tank to hold water exclusively from Harnett County, which gets its water from the Cape Fear River. The water supply provided by the new tank will come in handy during droughts and during emergencies when large amounts of water are needed for fire protection, Sudano said. The new water tank should provide enough water storage volume to last the Town at least 10 years before construction of additional water storage volumes are needed.

The water tank ribbon cutting will be held at the water tank at 1136 Avent Ferry Road. The public is invited to attend. For more information, contact Tamara Ward, public information officer for the Town, at (919) 557-2918.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us