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Water and Sewer Connection Policy

Under the following conditions, connection to public water and sewer facilities is deemed available and feasible. In these cases, service shall be provided by the public utility in lieu of installation of individual wells and septic tanks, or installation of a community (private utility) system.

The user classifications for water only service and water and sewer service are listed below, followed by the distance to utility easement or public right-of-way adjacent to the water and/or sewer main. See the definitions for distance in the Notes section that follows.

Water (Only)

Major subdivisions or multi-unit residential development: 60 l.f. per lot or unit or 1,000 l.f., whichever is greater, based on the development master plan
Existing business with an unsuitable well: 1,000 l.f.
New business: 1,500 l.f.
New individual residence: 350 l.f.

Water and Sewer

Subdivisions or multi-unit residential development: Water: 60 l.f. per lot or unit or 1,000 l.f., whichever is greater, based on the development master plan
Residential Sewer: See Residential Sewer Service Policy
Commercial and Industrial Sewer: 1,500 l.f. for water and sewer
Existing business with an unsuitable well and/or failed/failing septic tank: 1,000 l.f. for water and sewer
New business: 1,500 l.f. for water and sewer
New individual residence: Water: 350 l.f.
Sewer: See Residential Sewer Service Policy

Notes

Distance for individual residences and businesses shall be measured from the closest structure requiring service across the subject land parcel to the edge of the public right-of-way or easement hosting the water or sewer utility. The condition will apply only when the utility easement or public right-of-way hosting the utility is contiguous with the subject property.

Distance for all other applications shall be measured from the closest property line of the parcel requiring service along public rights-of-way and/or easements to the edge of the public right-of-way or easement hosting the water or sewer utility.
A new individual residence that is constructed to replace an existing residence shall be deemed an “existing” residence and shall not be subject to this policy.
A major residential subdivision is defined as seven (7) lots or more subdivided for residential use. Included are mobile home parks and multi-family developments.
Public water and sewer facilities are water and sewer systems owned, operated, and maintained by Johnston County, a County special service district, a sanitary district, or a public (not for profit) water and/or sewer authority.
Business is defined as a non-residential or non-agricultural land use with a water usage of 500 gpd or greater.
Non-profit entities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and, under hardship circumstances, may be exempt from this policy.
Distance for sewer refers to gravity sewer mains only. The presence of a force main does not indicate availability.

Residential Sewer Service Policy

(Adopted 3/14/05)

Sewer service for residential developments shall be limited to developments within Municipal Transition District's (MTD's); Interstate Highway Interchange Districts (IHID's); Outlying Residential Sewer Service Areas (ORSSA's); developments on land zoned R-10, PUD, or PDM prior to the date of adoption of this policy; and existing residences with failed or failing septic systems.

If a residential wastewater tap is requested on county wastewater lines that flow into a municipal-owned treatment facility, the municipality receiving the waste must approve the request based on plant capacity. That approval would be sent to the applicant and county in writing, subject to the county’s approval of line capacity. Also, if the request involved a subdivision of 5 or more lots, the Board of County Commissioners would evaluate the request based on county land use policy. If approved, the county and municipality would coordinate fees, taps, meters, and customer service based on existing service area policies/agreements.*

Residential development is defined as a group of owner or renter occupied dwellings consisting of single units or multiple units including subdivisions, patio homes, apartments, condominiums, and town homes. To qualify for residential sewer service in ORSSA's, developments must be zoned PUD or PDM, or be contiguous or immediately adjacent to existing residential development with public sewer service and must be able to be served by construction of new gravity lines (no new pump station required) which will be tributary to existing sewer infrastructure.**

Availability of wastewater allocation for qualifying residential developments shall be subject to surplus wastewater treatment capacity plant. Three years' capacity shall be continuously reserved in the wastewater treatment plant to serve the projected annual growth of the current bulk municipal customers and projected commercial, industrial and institutional development.

Requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The official date of acceptance for a residential development project shall be the date of Planning Board approval of the preliminary plat or date of approval of Board of Commissioners approval of a PUD or PDM.

At the time of submittal of preliminary plans to the Department of Planning for initial Planning Board approval, a development phasing plan shall be included which specifies the schedule of development phases, the number and type of residential units, and the requested wastewater flow allocation required for each phase of development. Wastewater capacity shall be allocated for residential projects on a development phase- by-development phase basis.

Sewer System Development Fees shall be paid in full prior to plat recordation. Wastewater capacity allocations are subject to availability. Johnston County Department of Utilities will endeavor to permit and construct wastewater transmission and treatment capacity expansions to meet demands.

Wastewater allocations expressly are for a defined project on a given parcel. Allocations may be transferred with land ownership. Allocations may not be transferred from one parcel to another or from one project to another without the expressed, formal approval of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners.***

MTD's, IHID's, and ORSSA's shall be as shown on the attached map and may be modified, changed, or amended by the Board of Commissioners.

*Policy amendment adopted September 12, 2005.
**Policy amendment adopted May 1, 2006
***Policy amendment adopted June 13, 2005.

Individual Residence Water Line Extension Policy

(Adopted 6/2/2008)

Service Guarantee Policy

A property owner may request by application an individual residential retail water service within 350 ft. from the end of an existing water line that can be served by the construction of a 2-inch water line extension – provided there are no cost prohibitive restrictions (i.e., stream crossing or problem utility easement). The Residential Retail Water Service fees shown below will apply. A reasonable time frame for construction from the time of application would be 30 days or upon acquisition of a NCDOT encroachment permit, whichever is greater. The only exception to the full price connection fee will be for a “grandfathered” water district incentive tap that can be served within the 350 ft. extension.

Single Individual Residential Retail Water Service Line Extension beyond 350 ft

A property owner may request by application a single residential retail water service beyond the 350 ft service guarantee if the customer pays the additional construction costs + 10% in excess of the 350 ft. (based on the size of water main to be installed consistent with the County’s long-term capital needs, not to exceed 6” diameter) and the Residential Retail Water Service fees shown below, provided there are no cost prohibitive restrictions (i.e, stream crossing or utility easement acquisition required). A reasonable time frame for construction from the time of application would be 90 days, or as necessary for design, permitting and scheduling. A property owner may request to construct the water line extension using their own licensed utility contractor subject to approval by the Department of Utilities in which case County design and construction standards shall apply. The maximum allowable total extension length under this policy is 1,000 l.f. (including the initial 350 l.f.).

Individual Residential Retail Water Service Fee under Capital Construction Projects

For water service line extensions beyond 350 ft from the end of an existing water line where more than one (1) household can be served, property owners can petition the Department of Utilities for service within a proposed area. This policy does not guarantee that the County will complete the requested extension. However, if the extension is financially feasible to construct and the County proceeds with construction, property owners will be notified by mail and given the opportunity to apply for water service. Residential Retail Water Service fees shown below will apply. The only exception to the full price connection fee will be for a “grandfathered” water district incentive tap that can be served.