2004 - 2011
2004 - 2011: Union County conducted studies to understand future water demand and the potential impacts and feasibility of a water supply project.
2012 - 2013
2012 - 2013: The Town of Norwood and Union County signed an Interlocal Intake and Transmission Agreement to establish the terms of their partnership.
2013 - 2017
2013 - 2017: The Project's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Interbasin Transfer Certificate (IBT) applications were completed.
Read the Final EIS!
May
2017
May 2017: An Interbasin Transfer Certificate, allowing the Project to move water from Lake Tillery into the Rocky River Basin, was awarded by the North Carolina Environmental Managment Commission.
View the certificate hereOctober 2017
October 2017: The project team identified preliminary routes for the water supply and drinking water pipelines.
View the final pipeline route and construction progress hereNovember 2017
November 2017: The project team held informational meetings in Unionville, Oakboro and Norwood to share updates and next steps. Did you miss the meetings?
Catch up on the contentAlso, the Town of Norwood acquired property for a new water intake and pump station. Interested in seeing it in 3D? Take a peek.
February 2018
February 2018: Union County issued Requests for Proposals for firms to design and build the project's infrastructure.
May
2018
May 2018: Two Design-Build firms were selected:
Garney-Hazen
- intake facility
- pump station
- water supply pipeline
CDM Smith-Crowder
- water treatment plant
- drinking water pipeline
July
2018
July 2018: Union County acquired land for the water treatment plant.
August 2018
August 2018: Union County, The Town of Norwood, the Town of Wingate and Stanly County entered into a settlement agreement to end Stanly County's legal challenge to the Interlocal Intake and Transmission Agreement and to the issuance of the Project's Interbasin Transfer Certificate.
September 2018
September 2018: The Yadkin Riverkeeper and Montgomery County's contestation of the project's Interbasin Transfer Certificate were both settled.
Fall / Winter 2018 / 2019
Fall / Winter 2018 / 2019:
Teams of field personnel with different areas of expertise collected and documented physical information about the natural and human environments along the pipeline routes. The surveys examined:
- Where are property lines located?
- Where do underground and above-ground utilities currently exist?
- Where would the proposed water pipeline cross streams, wetlands or other federally-regulated waterways?
- Could our work affect any federally protected plants or animals?
- What are the soils and local topography like?
- Do historic properties, such as important buildings or archaeological sites, exist in the proposed pipeline route?
The information collected during the field surveys helped the final design avoid, minimize or mitigate as many potential impacts as possible.
October 2018
October 2018 The project team held informational meetings in Unionville, Oakboro and Norwood to share updates and next steps. Did you miss the meetings?
Catch up on the contentMarch 2019
The project’s water supply and drinking water pipelines required utility easements across private land for construction, operation and long-term maintenance.
March 2019: Informational meetings for impacted property owners were held in Unionville, Oakboro and Norwood. Project team members introduced the project, shared property-specific pipeline route information and introduced property owners to their easement acquisition agents.
May 2019
May 2019: 30% of the design was completed. The new details allowed updates to cost and schedule estimates. Another informational meeting on easements was held in Norwood for property owners who were impacted by changes to the project’s design.
Fall
2019
To build the project’s water intake within the boundaries of the Yadkin-Pee Dee Hydroelectric Project and remove water from Lake Tillery, the project team had to secure a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Lake Use Permit from Duke Energy.
Fall 2019: Duke Energy submitted the Lake Use Permit application to FERC for review.
Winter
2019 / 2020
Winter 2019/2020: 60 percent of the design was completed, which provided more detailed design documents, more refined cost estimates and an updated schedule.
Summer 2020
July 2020: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission completed its review of the project’s Lake Use Permit application.
August 2020: Duke Energy issued the Lake Use Permit, giving the YRWSP permission to remove water from Lake Tillery and construct the water intake within the boundaries of the Yadkin-Pee Dee Hydroelectric Project.
September 2020
Fall 2020: Construction begins!
Visit the Construction page to read the latest progress updates.
2023
2023: After approximately two and a half to three years of construction, the project will be complete and water will begin to flow!