Carteret County For Public Water | www.CC4PW.org
TOWN OF BEAUFORT – The State of North Carolina has been pushing for consolidation and regionalization of Water & Sewer systems to help reduce costs, rates, and improve water quality. In December of 2019, Carteret County received a grant to study a possible merger of the Water System with the Town of Beaufort.
Now, private entities – Aqua NC and Carolina Water Services – are trying to purchase the system.
Aqua NC is owned by Essential Utilities. Carolina Water Services is owned by ICONIX Waterworks. These companies helped pass HB 351 in 2018, and are currently working on passing SB 211.
They have reportedly been kicked out of states; have been bought out by municipalities for much more than they were sold for; and, are having issues with customers elsewhere in North Carolina.
The citizens of Carteret County are still waiting for answers. The county commissioners talked about other towns using private water companies, but Bogue Banks Water and Western Carteret Water are nonprofits.
Private water utilities on average charge 70 percent more for water. The North Carolina Utilities Commissison often allows rate increases of up to 10 percent annually
We need your help on Monday, April 19! We hope hundreds will rally to show that we do not want the Water System sold to a for-profit private company. Please arrive by 5:30pm at 300 Courthouse Square, Beaufort, NC. We will meet on the steps looking towards Turner street! Wear a blue shirt, a blue hat, hold a sign, or anything that you can think of to signify water!
Email us at: carteretcounty4publicwater@gmail.com
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