BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Since practically inception, the Town of Beech Mountain has dealt with water issues. Now, the town is asking for everyone to reduce water use by 5%.
The town has a long term solution for water shortages and is asking voters for their help.
Right now, the town’s primary source of water is Buckeye Lake. According to the town’s public works department, the state says the lake can only yield an average of 210,000 gallons per day. The town says that’s significantly below demand, especially in summer months.
Beech Mountain officials say a second source of water is desperately needed. The town’s solution is to spend up to $15 million to link lakes Coffey and Santis and build a new reservoir. With help from a dam, the reservoir will hold up to 30 million gallons of water and serve as a secondary water source.
Voters will decide whether to approve the bond for this project next week. Some say it is critical.
“The town regularly suffers from a lack of water,” resident Urs Gsteiger said. “The only way we can solve that is to do what we are doing, which is finish this Lake Coffey project.”
The state budget is providing $14 million for this work. If voters authorize it, the town will only use whatever is necessary from the bond for the project. That means it may not end up being a full $15 million.
Seventy percent of the bond’s annual cost will be paid from property taxes and 30% will come from water customers.
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